‘It’s just so normalized’: UMass Boston students feeling unsettled after false alarm

BOSTON — UMass Boston students are left feeling unsettled after an unsubstantiated report of gunfire on campus prompted a massive police response.

Authorities swarmed the school around 3:45 p.m. after shots were reported near 240 Morrissey Boulevard in Dorchester.

Students ran for their lives in every direction after getting alerts on their phones about the unconfirmed incident.

The “all clear” was given less than two hours after the first alert went out.

UMass Chancellor Marcelo Suárez-Orozco later confirmed that police found no evidence of gunfire on campus or any adjacent buildings.

“It’s just so normalized for these things to happen,” said UMass Boston freshman Brianna Vargas. “It’s something you have to believe, and it’s something you have to take cover for, and you can never be too safe about.”

School officials have not said if they believe the report of shots fired in Residence Hall East and several other locations was a hoax or a misunderstanding.

“It was very confusing. We didn’t have details where the shooter was. We were running around blindly which is kind of scary,” said UMass Boston freshman Franklin Dominguez.

Classes and activities remain canceled through Thursday night and are set to resume on Friday.

Chancellor Suárez-Orozco issued the following statement:

<i>“I want to express my deepest gratitude to our emergency operations personnel and the dedicated officers of the UMass Boston Police, Boston Police, State Police, Boston Fire Department, and all first responders for their swift and thorough response. I also want to thank each of you — students, faculty, and staff — for your calm cooperation throughout this incident and for carefully following the directions of public safety and emergency personnel. Your actions helped ensure the safety of our entire community.”</i>

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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