UCF Evacuated: Man Found Dead With Guns and Homemade Explosives
The University of Central Florida evacuated hundreds of students from their dorms early Monday after police found a dead man with a handgun, rifle, and homemade explosives near his body. According to the university, the building was Tower 1 hall in Knights Plaza — Parking Garage G was also closed immediately. The fire alarm was set off after the discovery, prompting the evacuation. The man’s cause of death appears to be that of suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Classes have been canceled at the university for precaution until noon though the university states that there are no other threats present. The UCF spokesman Grant Harris said the FBI and Orange County Sheriff’s Office are assisting with the investigation. Counseling services on behalf of the students are also available.
According to the latest from authorities, the man was a student at the university.
A UCF alert released on the school’s website states, “All classes and operations in the Central Florida Research Park and at all other campus locations will continue as scheduled.”
“The UCF Veterans Academic Resource Center on the east side of the UCF Arena is open for students evacuated from Tower 1, where police continue to investigate an apparent suicide and improvised explosive devices found in the building.”
This breaking news is the latest in what is an ongoing national conversation on school safety — specifically when concerning gun control. Although the perpetrator was unable to carry out the full extent of his plans (if he had any), questions are still left about what those plans might have been and what extensive damage could he have caused if he had went ahead with the items at hand. Furthermore, this brings up the issue of college campus safety and even the safety of places where a person carrying a weapon of any sort may not be discovered until it is too late. As more details are released on this story, it will be interesting to see what safety detail the aftermath will bring. A possible tragedy may have been nipped in the bud in this instance but what of next time?
