Reporting contributed by Charlie Magovern and Chelsea Fleischman.
Updated at 1:05 pm to reflect details on suspect.
Updated at 1:11 pm to reflect the fact that state police are involved.
Updated at 1:22 pm to include Storify. Will be better formatted when things get less hectic.
Updated at 1:30 pm to put Storify in this post:
Updated at 1:49 pm to include info on current location of gunman
Updated at 2:04 pm: police set up near Rt. 77, not Rt. 27.
Updated at 2:40 pm to include more pictures.
Updated at 2:44 pm to include map.
Updated at 3:15 pm to include latest comments from Security.
Updated at 4:11 pm to correct initial reports that suspect is armed. He is classified as armed and dangerous, but no weapon has been confirmed.
Police are still in pursuit of an armed and dangerous suspect in the vicinity of the college.
As of 1:50 pm, police were congregated near Greendale Cemetery by Rt. 77.
An email sent by Safety and Security around noon warned students to stay indoors while the pursuit was in progress.
Another email sent by Safety and Security at 3:00 pm stated that the pursuit had shifted off-campus and allowed students to head back to their residences, but mentioned that facilities would be locked and students should stay indoors overnight.
Safety and Security said they had “no affiliation” with the search as they do not carry weapons.
Pennsylvania state police cars are also on campus, as well as a state police helicopter.
The incident is officially in the jurisdiction of the City of Meadville police department. State troopers have been called to provide assistance.
The suspect is Keith Green. Police were serving a warrant for a shooting in Ashtabula County, Ohio. The warrant was for a shooting and for drug possession. Here is a photo of the suspect:
Green has been arrested before in Ohio.
Security and the Meadville Police are thus far refusing to comment, but multiple sources say that police were spotted on Loomis Street, where the suspect apparently kicked in the door to a residence.
Senior Andrew Jockers, who lives at the residence, received a call from the Meadville Police while eating lunch urging him not to return home.
“Someone spotted the gunman walking through our yard,” said Jockers. “We got a call from the Meadville police that he had kicked in the back door and that we shouldn’t go home.”
Reports indicate that Green left Loomis and headed towards Allegheny Commons.
As of 1:05 pm, police had towed Green’s car but had not caught him.
Administrators are currently meeting to deal with the situation, but no details have been released.
More info to come, but here are some pictures from Loomis from Beau Moran.
Nancy • Apr 19, 2012 at 11:51 am
Wake up Meadville! Just becase it hasn’t happened before doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared for it! Communication is the key To stop panic you have to advise people of what is going on. My daughter is a student at Allegheny and there was NO communication all night long yet there was a lockdown. Something is wrong here! You can’t hide in the backwoods and expect not to be impacted by the world around you!
Melissa Mencotti • Apr 18, 2012 at 9:00 pm
I am so proud of The Campus. You reporters have owned this story from the first moments and your reporting has been excellent. You have provided up-to-date immediate information and more detail than any other local source. (That’s not to say that there weren’t times today when I wished that you writers weren’t in the thick of things.) One never wishes for this kind of story, but it came to you and you’ve nailed it. Well done.
AG • Apr 18, 2012 at 6:31 pm
He or she didn’t say anything about the suspect himself. Have you been reading? He or she just said “it’s Meadville,” meaning this happened in Meadville–which is fact. Relax.
cygnoir • Apr 18, 2012 at 5:27 pm
I just read that on the Tribune website. Isn’t the purpose of a manhunt to find the person?
Ari • Apr 18, 2012 at 6:15 pm
not in meadville. 😛
Katrina Tulloch • Apr 18, 2012 at 4:38 pm
Great reporting guys. After the hectic day ends, this will be a killer clip.
Burningsoul19 • Apr 18, 2012 at 4:19 pm
This is the most informative site that ive found to be informative. Thank you!
Angry Parent • Apr 18, 2012 at 4:11 pm
My child attends first district and according to reports they were on Lockdown and wouldnt be leaving the school. So at 230 my son starts walking home?? I thought the purpose of a lockdown is so that no one would be leaving the school until the lockdown was over??I must have missed the part where it was only to be in effect during school hours. That would have been nice to know!!
Meadville's Finest • Apr 18, 2012 at 3:42 pm
If he were an college student that was underage drinking, Meadville police would have never let him get away.
Jqpublic • Apr 18, 2012 at 8:50 pm
You must be drinking already my friend.
Concerned Resident • Apr 18, 2012 at 3:34 pm
Thanks for keeping us informed!! I saw that school children from second district were released and walking home from school…. deplorable. I called and gave them a piece of my mind, call them if you agree. I’d be _furious_ if my child attended there.
(814) 724-3960 after it picks up, I believe option #3 is superintendent. college students
under lockdown but children are okay to walk the streets? bah.
Meadville Parent • Apr 18, 2012 at 9:54 pm
I am a bus driver. The children from Second District are all West End Children. They do not walk. Second District was never locked down. It is on the opposite side of the city. First District was on lock down and parents were notified that if their child was a walker they would not be released to walk and to make arrangements. Calvary Baptist was also on lock down and had the same policy. Please make sure your facts are straight before calling the Superintendent Heller.
Concerned Resident • Apr 19, 2012 at 1:34 pm
I live on the corner of baldwin and park avenue. Crossing guards were present and children were walking home by the dozens. This was mere blocks from where the fugitive was supposedly spotted… why was this allowed to happen?
Concerned Resident • Apr 19, 2012 at 1:38 pm
(in addition to that last post, my mistake; I was referring to first district school)
TFerry • Apr 18, 2012 at 3:18 pm
I would copy and paste the other picture from the linked article rather than the B&W one that you have. It seems like a more recent photo. Otherwise – thanks so much for the updates, I have a child in daycare on campus and have been worried all day. Your article provided me answers and as much peace of mind as a mom can have in a situation like this. Thank you very much.
Another concerned parent • Apr 19, 2012 at 3:13 pm
I see the color photo is being used now but I wonder if that is misleading. Although it is in better focus, it was from 2007 when the guy was wearing long hair. The black and white photo shows the buzz cut he is supposed to have now and it shows more lines and wrinkles in his face. Seems like the color photo looks more like the 29 year old he would have been in 2007 and the black and white maybe more like the 35 year old he is now. I’d hate to think people would start looking out for the long-haired guy instead of one with a buzz cut (assuming, of course, that the original info about that was correct).
Asdfghjk • Apr 18, 2012 at 1:44 pm
It’s Meadville, not surprising.
AnnaG • Apr 18, 2012 at 3:34 pm
I disagree with you. This is my third year at Allegheny, and we have never had a situation like this before.