Officers on Scene at UWSP-Marshfield Campus
8:03pm Update: All-clear given. Approximately sixty students were evacuated and are now being allowed back into the building. The street is now open. MPD expected to give an official statement tomorrow.
OnFocus spoke with MPD Assistant Chief Pat Zeps tonight.
“To clear the building, probably took about an hour and a half.” said Zeps. “It went fairly smoothly. The biggest obstacle was having enough officers to clear a building of that size.”
Zeps credits the quick response of Wood County Sheriff Department and the Wisconsin State Patrol for being able to contain the scene so quickly and effectively.
“I want to say thanks to the Wood County Sheriff’s Department and Wisconsin State Patrol,” he said. “Their response and willingness to help was awesome and really made a difference.”
Zeps encourages parents and teachers to have active conversations about these events with their children and students.
“I think in a general sense, the message that you need to get to kids is to be honest,” he said. “If you hear something or are concerned about a threat – tell somebody. It’s not about getting somebody in trouble. It’s information that we need to know in order to determine the validity of the threats and ultimately keep everybody safe. We take these very seriously and train for these events. We’re doing everything we can to protect the community.”
PREVIOUSLY REPORTED:
Marshfield Police Department updated their Facebook page at 5:07pm Tuesday evening with “Reports of subject with gun at UWSP- Marshfield Campus please STAY AWAY until further notice!”
Shortly after 5:00pm, officers began establishing a perimeter at UWSP-Marshfield Campus, 2000 W 5th Street. The school went into lockdown and additional officers were requested. Police are actively evacuating students as they come across them. The MRAP (armored vehicle) is on-scene.
According to reports, earlier this evening, a student reported that an elderly disoriented male asked him for directions to a staircase. The student saw what he believed to be a handgun handle in the person’s left jacket pocket. The suspect was reportedly wearing a green jacket and a Green Bay Packer hat with a pom. (As of 5:59pm, authorities have not confirmed the presence of an individual with a gun, but are actively monitoring the scene.)
The intersection is blocked at Lincoln Ave and 5th Street. A perimeter is established and a building search is ongoing. Wood County Sheriff’s Department, Marshfield Police Department, and Wisconsin State Patrol are on-scene.
Classes at MSTC Marshfield Campus have been cancelled due to the ongoing investigation.
This is a developing story… OnFocus will communicate information as it becomes available, but will not provide live updates for the safety of officers and those in the area. Please stay away from this area of town.
