BEAUMONT, Texas — A woman arrested Monday by Lamar University Police after causing a scare on campus by walking around with a fake gun has been charged with a misdemeanor.
Lamar officers arrested the woman Monday after they say she was spotted around campus carrying what turned out to be a fake handgun.
She was arrested on a charge of disorderly conduct, according to Sgt. Byron Popillion of the Lamar Police Department.
The woman's name was not released and Popillion said he would not confirm if she was a current Lamar student because the investigation is ongoing.
He also would not talk about why the woman was dressed in an olive green army style coat and hat with a utility belt and canteen.
Just after noon, Lamar Police received a report that a woman carrying a handgun, wearing an army green coat and hat along with a utility belt and a canteen was seen near the dorms, according to a news release from the university.
The school sent out an alert warning of a possible active shooter on the campus just before 12:30 p.m. on Monday.
Police released a photo of the woman at about 2 p.m.
Lamar officers searched the campus and quickly found her on the first floor of the Mary & John Gray Library.
Officers took her into custody and then were able to determine the gun was not real but was a "replica" the release said.
The school sent a short text alert at 12:25 p.m. warning of a possible active shooter near the Gentry Dining Hall and three minutes later sent an email describing a "suspicious" woman with a black gun who was wearing a army green long sleeve jacket.
At about 12:25 p.m. the university sent out a text alert reading... "LU/LIT ALERT. Active shooter near Gentry Hall. Avoid area or avoid, deny, defend! Stay alert for updates."
About three minutes later an email alert went out reading... "LU/LIT ALERT. Suspicious female on campus with a possible black handgun. Suspect was walking from Gentry Hall towards Dining Hall at 1215 wearing army green long sleeve jacket light blue jeans utility belt with canteen and black boots and a army green cap. Please shelter in place until further notice. Officers are out trying to locate suspect. Avoid area or Avoid, Deny, Defend! Stay alert for updates."
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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