The Gunman on Campus Isn’t Real

Do not be alarmed by the gunshots, the SWAT team and the students who appear wounded or dead around Minton Hall today. This is just a drill.

The UCA Police Department is staging an "active shooter exercise" in Minton Hall between 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. today. That's police talk for simulating that a gunman has entered the building and started shooting faculty and students.

Dozens of volunteers are playing the role of victims. They will simulate a variety of injuries and some will be dead. Police officers have to enter the building, find the shooter, subdue him and care for the wounded. The Conway Police Department, Conway Fire Department, Arkansas State Police, Faulkner County sheriff's office and Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services will participate.

The victims will be evacuated to an area outside the building where they will be cared for by medical staff, including nursing students. Police are using makeup and fake blood to make the injuries realistic.

In addition to the victims and the shooter, volunteers are playing the roles of reporters, witnesses and onlookers attracted to the commotion. Part of the exercise includes protecting and providing information to these people.

This is just a drill

The UCAPD is trying to make the exercise as realistic as possible. This includes the sounds of gunshots, emergency sirens around campus and public address announcements. Remember, this is just a drill.

Some parking lots have been closed for the exercise. These include the southernmost part of the large parking lot west of the physical plant, the parking lot north of State Hall and the parking lot north of Minton Hall. Emma Rasor Drive and Marion Ross Avenue also will be closed until after the exercise.

The campus won't be unprotected during the drill. UCAPD has left enough officers in reserve to respond to real emergencies.

A new federal law, prompted by a series of campus shootings around the nation, requires all universities to conduct a drill like this annually. UCAPD said future drills will include a major natural disaster.

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