A possible sighting of a man with a rifle near Autzen Stadium at the University of Oregon on Tuesday morning turned out to be just unusual apparel and an unseasonable accessory.

Responding UO and Eugene police found a man walking with an umbrella, not a rifle; and wearing hospital scrubs, but not posing a threat.

At 7:22 a.m., a UO athletics staff member saw a man south of Autzen Stadium, wearing what he described as doctor’s garb, walking erratically and carrying an object that looked like a rifle. The staff member immediately shared the information on a radio channel used by athletics and monitored by UOPD dispatch, and advised his colleagues to take cover. Dispatch immediately sent UOPD officers to the scene, and notified 9-1-1 to send Eugene Police.

UOPD officers arrived at 7:25 a.m., and located a man matching the description near the Cuthbert Amphitheater. They briefly questioned him, searched him for weapons, determined he posed no threat, and released him.

Text and e-mail alerts were sent by the UO to students and employees at 7:33 a.m. and 7:40 a.m., warning them of the sighting and to stay away from the Autzen area. An “all clear” message came out at 7:46 a.m.

UOPD always encourages employees, students, and citizens to share any suspicious or concerning information immediately for response and investigation, as happened in this case.

UPDATE:

Receiving notifications about incidents on campus is critical to the safety of our community. What this morning’s event highlighted was the strength of our text alert system. With so much of our time spent mobile it is imperative that important messages are received as they are delivered. If you have not already registered to receive UOAlerts via text message today provides an important reminder to do so.

Register to receive text alerts via your DuckWeb account