UCLA shooting was a murder-suicide, police say, lockdown lifted

A murder-suicide Wednesday moing at UCLA left two dead, and prompted a campus-wide lockdown, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

“At about 10 this moing, a homicide and a suicide occurred on the southside,” Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said in a news conference. “It appears it was entirely contained. We believe there are no suspects outstanding and no continued threat to UCLA campus. We’re in the process of releasing the campus.”

The unversity remained on lockdown for about two hours and the city of Los Angeles was placed on tactical alert following reports of gunfire on the Westwood campus, authorities said. The lockdown was lifted about 12:17 p.m., according to tweets from the school’s alerts account.

• UCLA SHOOTING: Live updates on breaking news at the Westwood campus

The LAPD said that the two shooting victims were both men.

The gunman was “described as a white male about 6 feet tall,” the Daily Bruin student newspaper wrote on its Twitter feed, adding that the shooting occurred at Engineering IV on the southe side of the campus.

• PHOTOS: 2 dead in UCLA shootings, campus locked down

UCLA police chief James Herren said both shooting victims were found inside the building.

Photos from the scene showed emergency crews taking one person away on a stretcher. Police in full gear were also seen searching the campus.

LAPD Capt. Andy Neiman said during a moing press conference that shots were fired near Boelter Hall. The LAPD, LAFD, and even the FBI, which has a local office in Los Angeles, responded to the scene. A bomb squad was also on campus, but no explosive devices have been found or reported, Neiman said.

“At this point, we’re still gathering this information,” Neiman said. “We’re going to do this very methodically.”

Three LAUSD campuses near UCLA also were on lockdown including Fairbu and Waer elementary schools and Emerson Community Chater Middle School, according to a spokeswoman, who said parents have been alerted.

At UCLA, students were reportedly being locked into their classrooms.

The Daily Bruin said administrators had asked professors to cancel classes.

“Sitting under desk with door locked and lights off during my last ever class at #UCLA because of campus shooting,” tweeted Tom Jackson, an MBA candidate at the Anderson school.

A UCLA worker named Nathalie texted reporters that she and other workers are locked down in a building next to the hospital.

“On UCLA campus. Chaos ... We are on lockdown. All I hear are sirens and helicopters. ...We are all OK.”

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Another student named Alan, 20, texted that he is hunkered down in a dorm room with three female students. He said he went to his girlfriend’s room when the initial reports of shooters on campus came out.

“I guess you can say there’s confusion. No one really has any confirmed information.”

Alan said they “tied off the hinges” on their door.

“Taking a peak out the window and there’s no movement outside,” he said.

The dorms are located about a mile away from the Engineering IV building.

“Was scary when I had just gotten out of class and the initial reports came out. It’s quiet up here so that provides some sort of comfort.”

More than 43,000 people attend UCLA. Students are in their final week of instruction and exams. Graduation ceremonies are set to kick off next week.