BREAKING NEWS: Reports of shots fired near administration building, all advised to stay away from the area

By Paige Barnes, Audience Engagement Editor

The Columbia community was notified of shots being reportedly fired near campus Sept. 15 at the intersection of Harrison Street and Michigan Avenue. Zachary Clingenpeel

Updated Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 2:30 p.m. with an interview from Ron Sodini, associate vice president of Safety and Security.

Shots were fired at the intersection of Harrison Street and Michigan Avenue, according to a collegewide email and phone alerts sent to the Columbia community just before noon Tuesday morning.

The scene is stabilized, and there are no known injuries. Chicago police officers remained on the scene throughout the early afternoon.

Associate Vice President of Safety and Security Ron Sodini (left) and President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim (right) talk on site after reports of shots fired near 600 S. Michigan Ave. K’Von Jackson

The alerts, which began at 11:46 a.m., directed anyone near the area to avoid Harrison Street between Michigan Avenue and Wabash Avenue. The college’s administration building is located at 600 S. Michigan Ave. at the intersection of Harrison Street and Michigan Avenue.

Ron Sodini, associate vice president of Safety and Security, said security personnel who responded to the reports that shots had been fired later received confirmation from the Chicago Police Department that four suspects fled the scene in a vehicle that eventually crashed near 700 W. Roosevelt Road.

The suspects are now in custody and a weapon was recovered, Sodini said.

The scene where there were reports of shots near Columbia’s campus remains stabilized with the Chicago Police Department still on site. K’Von Jackson

“There’s a lot of police on the scene. We’re coordinating and in communication with the police,” Sodini said. “Again, we just ask everybody, if they see something, say something.”

If there were to be a similar threat on campus, Sodini said Campus Security would use the Everbridge Mass Notification system that is used to send out collegewide emails and phone calls to keep people informed.

“These types of incidents are all unique, and so we evaluate the situation and offer guidance and direction based on the specifics of the incident as it’s unfolding so that we tailor the guidance so that its maximum safety,” Sodini said.

Chicago Police Department officials were not immediately available to provide further details.

More updates to come.