No one injured after shots fired at Mo. college

MARYVILLE, Mo. -- A Northwest Missouri State University spokeswoman said the campus is back to being calm after a shots-fired scare in a parking lot just before midnight Saturday, which was the school's homecoming.

No one was injured, but university relations vice president Mary Ann Lowary said a campus alert system was activated around the time the shots were reported as a precaution until officers could check each of the 13 residence halls and the other buildings on campus.

The alert repeatedly sounded the warning "shooter on campus" over a speaker system that can be heard campus-wide, Lowary said. Students, faculty and staff were told to go to their rooms and lock their doors and get somewhere safe, she said.

The lockdown lasted until about 6 a.m. Sunday after campus safety officers and local police finished their room-to-room search.

Gov. Matt Blunt on Sunday commended university officials and law enforcement for their response to the gunshots.

"I am deeply troubled by this incident on the campus of Northwest Missouri State University," he said. "I applaud the university for their quick decision to lock down the university. Lockdown strategies were one of several security issues examined by my Campus Security Task Force.

No arrests had been made, but officers were looking for two men they described as persons of interest. They believe the men had left the campus. A 911 call alerted the officers to the incident.

The shots were fired in a parking lot north of The Station, a conference and activity center on campus. Lowary said the building has a 24-hour convenience store and snack bar for students.

Investigators still were trying to determine how many shots were fired in the lot.

University officials said authorities believe the campus is safe but are "maintaining a high level of awareness."

"We have been very proactive for 20 years here in emergency planning," Lowary said. "No one can say that they're going to be safe every day. But at Northwest Missouri State we have a good emergency plan in place."