Skip to main content
You are the owner of this article.
Edit Article Add New Article
You have permission to edit this article.
Edit

LATEST

Featured

All clear after active shooter reported on South Oval: Timeline of events

ouactiveshooter1

Emergency services respond to active shooter threat on Boyd Street and the Parrington Oval around 10:40 p.m. April 7, 2023. An all clear was issued by OUPD at 10:53 p.m. 

 Karoline Leonard/OU Daily

Stay in the loop

Get our top OU and Norman stories in your inbox. Free newsletter sign up

Emergency services, officers respond to active shooter threat before all clear announced

OU authorities issued an all clear at 10:53 p.m. Friday, nearly an hour and a half after campus went into lockdown following an OU-Norman alert indicating there was an active shooter on the South Oval.

Here's how events unfolded.

12:56 a.m.:

David Surratt, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students, sent an email to students early Saturday morning. The email emphasized there is no longer a threat to campus and there is currently no evidence of an active shooter. It also included suggestions for mental health resources like the University Counseling Center. 

12:38 a.m.:

OU Director of Media Relations April Sandefer wrote to OU Daily that university officials have not determined if the incident was a swatting case. Swatting involves making intentionally false reports to police with the goal of having officers go to a specific location. 

11:52 p.m.:

OU President Joseph Harroz, Jr. tweeted about the incident.

11:34 p.m.: 

OU Director of Media Relations April Sandefer told OU Daily that OUPD Chief Nathaniel Tarver said they have no indication of what caused the reports or the people who think they heard gunshots.

She wrote in a text that OUPD will look at campus cameras in the area to see if they can identify the cause.

"Sounds like the confetti guns was just a rumor," Sandefer wrote.

11:25 p.m.: 

OU Dean of Students and Vice President of Student Affairs David Surratt tweeted about the incident. 

11:20 p.m.: 

OU Director of Media Relations April Sandefer told OU Daily OUPD received several calls reporting gunshots on campus, prompting the department to immediately advise everyone on campus to shelter in place.

She said the police did not find any threats after a thorough investigation of all buildings on campus. The source of the reported gunshot-like sounds is unclear, she said.

10:55 p.m.: 

10:54 p.m.: 

OUPD issued an all clear, according to an OU-Norman update. 

"After a thorough search, no threat was found. There is no threat to campus. Alert has been canceled," the update stated.

10:42 p.m.: 

OU Director of Media Relations April Sandefer told OU Daily in a statement that nothing has been found.

"The investigation is continuing and nothing has been found. We are still advising everyone to shelter in place, but that’s all I know at this point," Sandefer said. 

10:40 p.m.: 

The scene on Boyd Street. 

10:38 p.m.: 

All units in Norman are called to stand down, according to the Cleveland County Public Safety's scanner. 

10:34 p.m.:

Red confetti was located on the south side of the library, according to the Cleveland County Public Safety's scanner. 

10:32 p.m.:

OUPD is checking the south side of the library for shell casings and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol is checking the north side, according to the Cleveland County Public Safety's scanner.

10:30 p.m.: 

OUPD is continuing to investigate the incident, according to an OU-Norman alert.

10:15 p.m.: 

Forty units are on the scene and are holding a perimeter, according to the Cleveland County Public Safety's scanner.

10:13 p.m.:

Two teams are entering the library to clear it again. As of now, there are no shots fired and no clear victims, according to the Cleveland County Public Safety's scanner.

10:12 p.m.:

The library was cleared once and there was no sign of activity, according to the Cleveland County Public Safety's scanner. The building will be cleared again. 

10:06 p.m.: 

Green BearCats are in route from the Department of Public Safety, according to the Cleveland County Public Safety's scanner. 

10:04 p.m.: 

Live from Boyd at the South Oval. 

10:04 p.m.: 

OUPD is continuing to investigate possible shots fired on Norman's Campus, according to an OU-Norman alert. 

9:56 p.m.:

Cleveland County Public Safety's scanner chatter indicates officers are clearing the library.

9:54 p.m.: 

A SWAT team was notified and a request for suspect searches began, according to Cleveland County Public Safety's scanner. 

9:46 p.m.: 

According to Cleveland County Public Safety's scanner, patrol units entered into the library on the south side at 9:45 p.m. and Oklahoma Highway Patrol units entered on the north side at 9:46 p.m.

9:45 p.m.: 

The OU Police Department is investigating possible shots fired on campus, according to an OU-Norman alert. 

"Avoid South Oval area. Shelter in place," the alert reads. 

9:25 p.m.:

"There is an active shooter at the Van Vleet Oval. Take immediate action now. Run. Hide. Fight!" the alert reads.

OU Daily standards

See an error? Earning trust is our duty. We correct errors atop stories. Identify an error, request a takedown or get in touch.

Independent and free since 1916: OU is committed to our editorial independence. You can help ensure our reporting remains strong and accessible to all invested in OU and Norman.

Want to comment? We value dialogue on issues we cover. On our social media accounts, we moderate disparagements, arguments and attacks, including those directed at our staff — and ban those repeatedly failing civility. The editor considers guest column submissions.