A man carrying an umbrella caused a gun scare at Cal State University San Marcos on Wednesday, when the protective rain gear was mistaken for a rifle by someone on the school campus, prompting a call to the police and a campus-wide lockdown.
Around 9:00 a.m., ten police units were sent to the campus by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department after they received reports that abald white man wearing a black shirt and jeans was seen carrying a longweapon, possibly a rifle, according to local Fox News affiliate KSWB in San Diego.
Following a sweep of the campus by police units, authorities discovered that the man was carrying an umbrella, not a gun. However, before the discovery was made, a campus-wide text message had been sent to students and staff.
“It said lock down. Barricade where you are. Shelter. Do not move and await further instruction… we didn’t even know what was going on,” said Jasmine Flores, who is both a student and employee at the university, notes KSWB.
The shelter-in-place order was reportedly lifted approximately 40 minutes after campus police gave everyone the “all clear.”