LEC locked down after a report of gunman; Building evacuated, search turned up nothing
Published 10:06 am Thursday, September 8, 2016
- Austin Police officers take up positions at the north door of the Law Enforcement Center as a woman leaves the building Wednesday morning. Eric Johnson/ photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Austin Police officers stage at the north door of the Law Enforcement Center Wednesday morning as the building was searched for a possible active shooter. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
A false alarm briefly evacuated downtown county offices Wednesday morning.
The Mower County Government Center and Jail and Justice Center were locked down briefly after an employee reported seeing someone with a gun, but no proof of a weapon can be found on surveillance cameras.
“It was a reactive employee,” Mower County Sheriff Terese Amazi said.
The report came shortly after 9 a.m., causing Austin police and Mower deputies to clear the Government Center and run a search of the building before they cleared it around 9:20 a.m. and let employees return to the building.
After reviewing surveillance videos, Amazi found no proof of anyone with a weapon and found a man carrying a long lanyard and something else she believes was mistaken for a weapon.
Employees from the Law Enforcement Center go over to the Jail and Justice Center after they were evacuated.
