POCAHONTAS, Ark. – For the second time this year, the college in Pocahontas went on lockdown for an active shooter who fortunately, did not exist.
It began around 8 a.m. Thursday at Black River Technical College, when Randolph County Sheriff Gary Tribble says campus police received an alert by phone. The nature of the alert is not known to NEA Report but we will be working to find out more about this detail.
Upon the call, several local law enforcement agencies responded to the campus of BRTC, including Arkansas State Police. The Paragould campus of BRTC was also locked down for safety reasons. Students were sent an alert which stated there was a possible “active shooter situation” on campus and to avoid the area.
A precautionary sweep of all buildings was performed and no one was found, the sheriff said.
“I have just cleared the school,” Tribble told NEA Report while the events unfolded.
At 9:23 a.m., an alert was sent to students giving the all clear.
On Jan. 15, a false alarm happened where nursing students were hosting a party and began popping balloons. Someone heard this and believed it was gunfire, resulting in a campus lockdown and sweep. Fortunately, it was nothing, but he scare happened just a few tense days after an incident on Arkansas State University campus, with a deranged armed man who showed up on campus.
At the time, Tribble said the response was impressive and it was better to be safe than sorry. He said he would rather respond to a false alarm call than miss the real deal.
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