‘All clear” on University of South Carolina campus after active shooter report

WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH BREAKING NEWS OUT OF COLUMBIA. CHAOS ON THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA CAMPUS TODAY. REPORTS OF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER AT THE LIBRARY FOR STUDENTS TO SHELTER IN PLACE FOR NEARLY TWO HOURS BEFORE AN ALL CLEAR WAS ISSUED. OUR MIKE PAYTON IS IN COLUMBIA WITH THE TIMELINE OF THE SITUATION AND THE REACTIONS. MAYA, WHAT IS THE CAMPUS LIKE RIGHT NOW? WELL, THE CAMPUS HAS BEEN RATHER QUIET HERE TONIGHT, SYDNEY, AND THAT’S EXPECTED CONSIDERING ALL THAT HAS HAPPENED. I’VE ONLY SEEN A FEW PEOPLE WALKING AROUND HERE TONIGHT. AND EVEN THOUGH THE ALL CLEAR WAS GIVEN, I’M TOLD THAT THE MAIN CAMPUS LIBRARY RIGHT HERE HAS BEEN CLOSED. NOW, ON MY WAY HERE TO COLUMBIA, I SPOKE ON THE PHONE WITH CAMPUS POLICE AND IN THE BACKGROUND I HEARD THOSE ACTIVE SIRENS GOING OFF IN THE BACKGROUND. NOW, THE FIRST ALERT FROM USC CAME OUT AT AROUND 630 THIS EVENING, AND IT WAS SHORTLY FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER ALERT SAYING THAT THE ACTIVE SHOOTER WAS AT THOMAS COOPER LIBRARY, ALSO KNOWN TO STUDENTS AS T COOP. WELL, OFFICIALS INITIALLY DESCRIBED THE SUBJECT AS A WHITE MALE WITH BLACK PANTS AND AROUND SIX FEET TALL. NOW, THOSE ON CAMPUS WERE TOLD TO EVACUATE THE AREA, SEEK SAFE SHELTER, OR DEFEND THEMSELVES IF THEY ENCOUNTER A SHOOTER. A FEW STUDENTS RECALLED THE FRIGHTENING MOMENTS AFTER THE ALERTS WERE SENT. IT’S PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, BLOWING MY PHONE UP SAYING, HEY, YOU KNOW, THERE’S AN ACTIVE SHOOTER ON CAMPUS AND WHATNOT. JUST SEEING IT ALL UNFOLD, SEEING EIGHT, NINE COP CARS JUST DRIVING BY. I KIND OF STOOD BACK AND I WAS LIKE, HEY, I NEED TO TAKE A SECOND TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT’S GOING ON. YOU KNOW, YOU DON’T THINK THIS THING IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU’RE HIDING BEHIND A FRIDGE BECAUSE THERE’S AN ACTIVE SHOOTER. A BUILDING AWAY FROM YOU. AROUND 8 P.M., STUDENTS WERE GIVEN THE ALL CLEAR SAYING THERE WAS NO ONGOING EMERGENCY. AS OF RIGHT NOW, CAMPUS POLICE SAY THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF AN ACTIVE SHOOTER, AND CAMPUS OFFICIALS ALSO SAY A COUPLE OF STUDENTS WERE TREATED FOR MINOR INJURIES THAT THEY SUFFERED DURING THE EVACUATION PROCESS. NOW, I ALSO REACHED OUT TO LAW ENFORCEMENT TO ASK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHETHER AN ACTIVE SHOOTER, HOW THE ACTIVE SHOOTER, HOW THEY WERE NOTIFIED ABOUT THE ACTIVE SHOOTER. I ALSO ASKED ABOUT A VIDEO THAT IS CURRENTLY TRENDING ONLINE RIGHT NOW, AND PEOPLE ARE SAYING OR ALLEGING THAT IT IS CONNECTED TO THIS INCIDENT HERE. I’M STILL WAITING TO HEAR BACK IN COLUMBIA. I’M MAYA PAYTON, WYFF NEWS FOUR. MAYA, THANK YOU. AND FOR THE LATEST ON THIS STORY AND ALL OF YOUR NEWS, HEAD TO OU

‘All clear” on University of South Carolina campus after active shooter report

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Updated: 11:12 PM EDT Aug 24, 2025

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Update after active shooter reported on the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus at Thomas Cooper Library.Latest update from university: 8:40 p.m.At approximately 6:30 this evening, USCPD received a report of gunfire at the Thomas Cooper Library on the Columbia campus. A Carolina Alert was sent instructing the community to avoid the area and shelter in place. Law enforcement responded quickly to the scene. At this time they have uncovered no evidence that a shooting occurred. The shelter in place order has been rescinded but the library remains closed. There were two minor injuries related to the evacuation of the building. We will send an update as more information becomes available.Latest update: 8 p.m.Urgent Carolina Alert: ALL CLEAR. There is no ongoing emergency at this time. The Thomas Cooper Library building remains closed. Update from university:EMS is treating a couple of students with minor injuries that occurred during evacuation. There is still no evidence of an active shooter on the Columbia campus; police are continuing to search the area. Continue to avoid the area as much as possible. Evacuate the area or seek safe shelter and barricade yourself in a safe area as necessary until further notice. Defend yourself if you encounter the suspect. Obey public safety officials’ commands. Additional safety information can be found at https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/law_enforcement_and_safety/emergency-procedures/active-shooter/index.php. Please monitor www.sc.edu/CarolinaAlertand local media for more information and updates.Latest from university: 7:13 p.m.”No evident of an Active Shooter at this time. Police are searching affected buildings. Please continue to shelter in place until there is an all clear. Avoid the area. Evacuate the area or seek safe shelter and barricade yourself in a safe area as necessary until further notice. Defend yourself if you encounter the suspect. Obey public safety officials’ commands. Public safety officials are on the scene. Additional safety information can be found at https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/law_enforcement_and_safety/emergency-procedures/active-shooter/index.php. Please monitor www.sc.edu/CarolinaAlert and local media for more information and updates. “Earlier update: An active shooter has been reported on the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus at Thomas Cooper Library. An alert sent to students and staff through Carolina Alert said the following: “Subject is reported as a white male with black pants, approximately 6 feet tall and still in the area. Avoid the area. Evacuate the area or seek safe shelter and barricade yourself in a safe area as necessary until further notice. Defend yourself if you encounter the suspect. Obey public safety officials’ commands. Public safety officials are on the scene. Additional safety information can be found at here. https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/law_enforcement_and_safety/emergency-procedures/active-shooter/index.php. Please monitor www.sc.edu/CarolinaAlert and local media for more information and updates.”

COLUMBIA, S.C. —

Update after active shooter reported on the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus at Thomas Cooper Library.

Latest update from university: 8:40 p.m.

At approximately 6:30 this evening, USCPD received a report of gunfire at the Thomas Cooper Library on the Columbia campus. A Carolina Alert was sent instructing the community to avoid the area and shelter in place. Law enforcement responded quickly to the scene. At this time they have uncovered no evidence that a shooting occurred. The shelter in place order has been rescinded but the library remains closed. There were two minor injuries related to the evacuation of the building. We will send an update as more information becomes available.

Latest update: 8 p.m.

Urgent Carolina Alert: ALL CLEAR. There is no ongoing emergency at this time. The Thomas Cooper Library building remains closed.

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Update from university:

EMS is treating a couple of students with minor injuries that occurred during evacuation. There is still no evidence of an active shooter on the Columbia campus; police are continuing to search the area. Continue to avoid the area as much as possible. Evacuate the area or seek safe shelter and barricade yourself in a safe area as necessary until further notice. Defend yourself if you encounter the suspect. Obey public safety officials’ commands. Additional safety information can be found at https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/law_enforcement_and_safety/emergency-procedures/active-shooter/index.php. Please monitor www.sc.edu/CarolinaAlertand local media for more information and updates.

Latest from university: 7:13 p.m.

“No evident of an Active Shooter at this time. Police are searching affected buildings. Please continue to shelter in place until there is an all clear. Avoid the area. Evacuate the area or seek safe shelter and barricade yourself in a safe area as necessary until further notice. Defend yourself if you encounter the suspect. Obey public safety officials’ commands. Public safety officials are on the scene. Additional safety information can be found at https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/law_enforcement_and_safety/emergency-procedures/active-shooter/index.php. Please monitor www.sc.edu/CarolinaAlert and local media for more information and updates. “

Earlier update:

An active shooter has been reported on the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus at Thomas Cooper Library.

An alert sent to students and staff through Carolina Alert said the following:

“Subject is reported as a white male with black pants, approximately 6 feet tall and still in the area. Avoid the area. Evacuate the area or seek safe shelter and barricade yourself in a safe area as necessary until further notice. Defend yourself if you encounter the suspect. Obey public safety officials’ commands. Public safety officials are on the scene. Additional safety information can be found at here. https://sc.edu/about/offices_and_divisions/law_enforcement_and_safety/emergency-procedures/active-shooter/index.php. Please monitor www.sc.edu/CarolinaAlert and local media for more information and updates.”