‘No ongoing threat’: No suspect found after active shooter reported at Kansas college

Update: A suspect has been arrested and charged with making a criminal threat in connection with the report of an active shooter at Garden City Community College, police said. That story is posted here.

Hours after law enforcement swarmed a small southwestern Kansas community college in search of a reported active shooter, no gunman or victims were found and police said they suspected it might have been a hoax.

A call about 8 a.m. Thursday reported an active shooter on the campus of Garden City Community College. The college, about six hours west of Kansas City, counts about 1,920 students, according to the Kansas Board of Regents.

In an update at 11:45 a.m, Garden City police posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that there was no ongoing threat and that they were working with college officials to ensure the safety of students and staff.

While police searched for the possible shooter, students and staff were told to stay away from the college’s campus, according to police radio traffic and social media posts.

“There is a situation on campus,” Garden City Community College said in postings shortly after 8:20 a.m. to Facebook and X. “If you are not on campus, do not come at this time.”

Those messages were shortly followed by a similar posting to X by the Garden City Police Department: “INCIDENT ALERT: There is a large first responder presence at the Garden City Community College. Per GCCC, if you are not on campus, do not come at this time.”

About two hours later, no one had been arrested and no victims had been found, said Erinn Reyes, a spokesperson for the Garden City Police Department.

The report of a shooter on campus could be a possible swatting call, which is when someone makes a hoax call to elicit police response, Reyes said.

Police, however, treated it like an active shooter.

“We just ask if you are not on campus … don’t come to campus,” Reyes said.

Police were “looking into the validity” of a photo posted online that showed two officers with assault-rifle style weapons with a suspect in custody, Reyes said. Someone had also posted that another suspect had hostages in the library.

“There are no hostages, I can tell you that,” Reyes said.

Multiple agencies responded to the call, including the sheriff’s office, Kansas Highway Patrol and EMS and fire. Video online showed officers on campus with assault-rifle style weapons. Reyes said that is a typical response to a call of an active shooter.

Police search Garden City Community College

Police radio traffic captured by Broadcastify.com revealed that police responded to the college on reports of an active shooter in the campus’ library.

After clearing the library, police went building by building to clear them. At one point, police had reports that the shooter might be in the gymnasium building, according to Broadcastify. Police established a command post on the south side of the college.

At about 8:40 a.m., an officer advised that the athletics complex, science building, library and fine arts building had been cleared and were secured.

“A combined law enforcement response continues to sweep campus,” the Garden City Police Department said in a posting on X shortly before 10 a.m. “The college is following its procedures for a potential intruder. There continue to be no normal college operations at this time, and we continue to ask those who are off campus to not come to campus.”

Shortly after 10:05 a.m., an officer reported that all the dorms had been cleared, according to Broadcastify. Police had gone room by room and sent students out in small groups.

About thirty minutes later, most if not all buildings had a primary search by responding officers, Reyes said.

Although police said there was no ongoing threat, classes and business operations were remaining closed Thursday, the college announced on its social media pages.