ASU Chancellor releases statement following arrest of armed man on campus
JONESBORO, Ark. (KATV) —
UPDATE: Arkansas State University Chancellor Tim Hudson released a statement following the Thursday active shooter threat on campus. Hudson said the following Friday morning:
"Yesterday, our campus community came together to respond to a threat that has become all too common in the world today. As the morning breaks and we count our blessings, these things we know to be true.
We are a strong community.
We are resilient.
We are grateful for our professional colleagues
those that protect us from harm
those who plan our well being
those who mentor, counsel, console and heal us
those who uplift and support our dreams and ambitions.
We rely upon each other: our faculty and staff
who are always ready, aware and available
who care and respond
who guide our awakening
who put the safety of our students first.
Our students:
who are our raison d'être, our mission
who inspire us to vigilance; to educate leaders, enhance intellectual growth and enrich lives
who remain the center of our lives.
We draw sustenance from our city and sustain it in return; symbiosis in action.
We respect each other; we embrace diversity and tolerance; we eschew ignorance and injustice.
We are all learners on a journey.
We cooperate with each other in times of trouble.
We lead -- and we follow leadership -- through challenges, through opportunities; epiphanies and dilemmas.
We remain optimistic about the future
of our university
of our state
of our nation
of humankind.
We keep our sisters and brothers.
We pay it forward.
We say for ourselves and for the world, "We ARE: A-State!!"
The mighty Red Wolf Nation -- built on a legacy of commitment and bound for a brighter horizon.
Yesterday we were; today and tomorrow we will be: "Red Wolf Strong."
Together we rise; together we thrive."
UPDATE:
Jonesboro police confirm to Channel 7 News they have identified the suspect taken into custody as Bradley Kenneth Bartelt, 47, of Jonesboro.
Police are investigating threats Bartelt allegedly made on Facebook prior to the incident on the Arkansas State campus, but say they were unaware of the threats at the time of the incident. ASU officials confirm Bartelt was a student at the university system's Newport campus.
According to the Craighead County Sheriff's Office jail roster, Bartelt has been charged with aggravated assault.
No one was injured in the campus incident.
Police say Bartelt had a shotgun, a can of gasoline, and a propane tank. He never pointed a weapon at officers, but was holding a shotgun under his chin and was threatening to harm himself, according to police.
Police say at one point, Bartelt was holding the can of gasoline and "sloshing gas on his truck".
Negotiators were brought in and were able to talk to Bartelt. At 2:46 p.m., police say "the suspect threw down the shotgun and surrendered to officers".
Police confirm that no shots were ever fired during the incident.
Channel 7 News talked to Jeff Hankins, Vice President of Strategic Communications for Arkansas State University, about the situation that unfolded.
"We are incredibly thankful for law enforcement authorities for their success in quickly controlling the situation, for surrounding the vehicle and keeping our faculty, staff, and students out of harm's way," Hankins said.
Hankins also told KATV the university had recently conducted an active shooter drill on campus at the student union.
ASU Chancellor Tim Hudson said, "There is no continuing danger from today's incident. The Arkansas State community remains strong. We are safe."
Campus police say they will increase the number of patrol officers on campus for the remainder of the week.
Arkansas State students were in the middle of taking final exams, which the school says are being rescheduled.
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ORIGINAL STORY:
Arkansas State University in Jonesboro tweeted Thursday afternoon an active shooter has been spotted at the student union on its campus.
A-State said in its tweet at 1:35 p.m., "Everyone should evacuate to the west side of the building and clear the area."
Channel 7 News has learned students are getting Campus Alert text messages that say, "Man with weapon is on east side of student union. Campus lockdown immediately."Another tweet sent by Arkansas State at 1:48 p.m. said an individual with a weapon has been surrounded by police. No shots have been fired and there have been no reported injuries, according to the tweet.
Jonesboro police confirm to Channel 7 News there is a man with a shotgun in a vehicle on the grass by the student union. One person on the scene says there are propane tank in the truck, but they do not yet know why. Police confirm they do have the man surrounded.
As of 2:30 p.m., police say negotiators are still trying to talk to the man and the situation is still evolving.
