'Gunman on the loose': Tennessee University campus on lockdown, alerts issued amid shooting reports

UTC ALERT said all individuals on the UTC campus should remain on lockdown. Do not move unless directed by law enforcement.

Updated on: Aug 21, 2025, 23:49:06 IST

By HT News Desk

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The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in United States has been placed on lockdown following reports of gunfire on campus amid fears of an armed suspect on the loose.

University of Chattanooga shooting: Campus locked down as 'gunman on loose' (Representational image)

“UTC ALERT: All individuals on the UTC campus should remain on lockdown. Do not move unless directed by law enforcement. Campus facilities are currently being searched by police,” the university said in a post on its X account.

An alert sent to the campus community cited by The Mirror warned of a possible shooting near the University Centre or library. It read: "Run. Hide. Fight. More info forthcoming."

Students are sheltering in classrooms while law enforcement searches the area. The father of a student told The Mirror that his son could "hear the gunshots" and see police "tracing the shooter."

The Chattanooga Police Department spokesperson soon confirmed to News Channel 9 ABC that officers were informed about the reports of shots fired at the university on Thursday afternoon.

The information reportedly came in at 1 pm (local time), the spokesperson said, adding that police have not yet located a victim.

The incident comes just a day after a fatal shooting took place near the parking lot of the Rockefeller Early Childhood Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. Later, the police in Little Rock identified the victim as Michelle Butler, 36.

The elementary school is located on 700 E 17th Street in Little Rock, and the shooting occurred at 15th and Bragg Street, which is near the school's parking lot.

Initially, the police confirmed that it was not a school shooting and no other person was injured. They later said in a release the shooting was domestic in nature, and identified Duane Nooner, 29 as the suspect.

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HT News Desk
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