An incident that caused a stir at Capital University ended with the detention of a man initially suspected of carrying a firearm, later identified as a cellphone. According to 10TV, a safety alert was released by the university shortly after the man was seen entering Schaaf Hall, a student housing facility, around 4:25 p.m.
Witnesses described the individual as wearing a maroon shirt, a maroon ball cap, gray shorts, and white tennis shoes. In response, said to have arrived on the scene, Capital's public safety and Bexley Police found the man detained on the building’s third floor, with the cellphone initially mistaken for a weapon, according to WHIO.
During the incident, students were instructed to remain indoors, securely locking their doors until the all-clear was announced just before 5:18 p.m. Capital University Police Chief Scott Kunkle confirmed the nature of the object and mentioned the potential charges of inducing panic, as obtained detailed by a 10TV report.
The suspect, who is a student at the university, was questioned by Bexley police after being mistakenly perceived as holding a gun when in reality it was a cellphone-pointed one. "Upon investigation, it was discovered that the suspect was actually holding a cellphone and pointing it like a gun," NBC4i reported, highlighting the detail that led to the initial panic. Charges of inducing panic are being considered against the individual in question.
No injuries were reported from the episode, and the campus returned to its normal state shortly after the situation was resolved. Further details on the incident and the suspect's identity remain as of yet undisclosed pending police investigation.
