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By Adeola Adeosun
Weekend Night Editor
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The University of South Carolina (USC) issued a crucial update at 7:11 p.m. EDT Sunday, stating there is "no evidence of an Active Shooter at this time" following earlier reports that triggered campus-wide emergency protocols.
Newsweek reached out to USC via email on Sunday for comment.
Why It Matters
This latest incident comes off the heels of false reports of active shooter sightings on the campuses of Villanova University and University of Tennessee at Chattanooga this week.
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Active-shooter alerts on college campuses have triggered emergency actions and widespread alarm nationwide in recent years.
What To Know
The updated Carolina Alert represents a significant development from the initial emergency notifications that began at 6:45 p.m., which reported an active shooter at the Thomas Cooper Library and described a suspect as a 6-foot-tall white male wearing black pants.
Despite the absence of confirmed shooter evidence, university officials maintain heightened security measures, instructing the campus community to "continue to shelter in place until there is an all clear."
Current safety protocols remain unchanged from the initial alert. The university continues instructing community members to "avoid the area, evacuate the area or seek safe shelter and barricade yourself in a safe area as necessary until further notice."
Law enforcement agencies are conducting systematic searches of buildings in the affected area, particularly around the Thomas Cooper Library complex.
The university's Carolina Alert system remains active, with officials promising continued updates as the search progresses. Community members are directed to monitor www.sc.edu/CarolinaAlert and local media for real-time information.
What People Are Saying
Carolina Alert update released on Sunday: "ALL CLEAR.ALL CLEAR. There is no ongoing emergency at this time; you no longer need to shelter in place. The Thomas Cooper Library building remains closed until further notice. Public safety officials are on the scene. Obey public safety officials' commands."
University of South of Carolina spokesman Jeff Stensland said in a statement that the original alert: "Was sent out of an abundance of caution" and that law enforcement was clearing the library building, going floor by floor — "Again out of an abundance of caution, we're going through the library to make sure."
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What Happens Next?
The university has given an all-clear and removed the shelter in place for all students.
Update 8/24/25, 7:49 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information and headline change.
Update 8/24/25, 8:11 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Update 8/24/25, 9:27 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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