COLUMBIA, S.C. — Anxiety swept across the University of South Carolina campus Sunday evening after an emergency alert warned of a possible active shooter at the Thomas Cooper Library, located at 1322 Greene Street. Students and staff were urged to shelter in place or evacuate, while police methodically cleared the building floor-by-floor.
Authorities initially described the potential suspect as a white male, about six feet tall, wearing black pants, and cautioned the public to avoid the area until further notice. USC’s alert system, which rapidly notifies students, faculty, and staff by text, email, and app notifications, told community members to barricade doors if necessary and follow all instructions from law enforcement.
As news spread, a flood of speculation circulated online. Video footage taken near the library showed an individual carrying a long, black object. Some who saw the clip believed the item was a firearm, sparking fears of an armed suspect on campus.
However, by nightfall, law enforcement made clear: no evidence of a shooter or shots fired had been found. Officials confirmed that no injuries had been reported and there was no verified confirmation of any gunman inside or near the library.
Adding to the evolving story, students posted to a University of South Carolina Snapchat group that the individual widely filmed on social media was carrying nothing more than an umbrella. The post, which quickly made the rounds online, seemed to match the person in the viral video. What many mistook for a weapon during the tense moments of the alert was in fact an everyday object.
Despite the clarification, the shelter-in-place order remained in effect until authorities could confidently secure the building and surrounding campus. USC administrators emphasized the importance of responding cautiously to all potential threats, even those later proven to be hoaxes or misunderstandings.
Jeff Stensland, Associate Vice President for University Communications, confirmed that the university had received an unconfirmed report of an active shooter. Law enforcement conducted a thorough sweep of the library as a precaution, he said, adding that the school takes every such report seriously.
“This was a highly stressful situation for everyone on campus,” Stensland said. “While there is no evidence of an active shooter, we will never take chances with the safety of our community.”
The incident comes amid a wave of false or mistaken active shooter reports on college campuses nationwide, highlighting how quickly fear can spread in an era where video clips and social media updates often outpace official information.
As of late Sunday, USC officials had not announced whether the shelter-in-place order had been lifted, but urged students to rely on official USC Alerts for real-time updates rather than speculation circulating online.
While the scare turned out to be unfounded, the tense hours served as a stark reminder of the fear and disruption such reports can cause — even when the “suspect” is holding nothing more than an umbrella.
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