http://www.ky3.com/news/ky3-missouri-st-campus-in-rolla-mo-in-lockdown-20110512,0,4518611.story
ROLLA, Mo. -- Missouri S&T University went on a lockdown just before 9 a.m. Thursday after a report that a man with a gun was on campus in McNutt Hall, a building in the mining department. A text alert was sent out and a message was posted on S&T's website.
Law enforcement officers later said no shots were fired on campus but some shots were fired near campus. One shot hit a sheriff's deputy's car.
Law enforcement officers chased the man to Rolla from Fort Leonard Wood. The Rolla police chief says the man crashed a stolen vehicle in Rolla, walked through a university classroom building with a rifle, broke into a home near campus, and then stole a car from the person in that home. Just before noon, the chief said they think the man is still in Rolla.
The chief said, at one point, he had the man in his sights and could have shot at him, but the man was near a school and the chief thought there was a risk that a student could have been hit if he'd fired.
Late morning, law enforcement officers confirmed they are looking for Cody Willcoxson, 31, who has served time in prison in Oklahoma. He's 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He's reported to have tattoos, including symbols from an Indian tribe, skulls, an iron cross, and faces. He's reported to have a 12-inch scar on his stomach. In some instances, he's spelled his last name Wilcoxson.
Online records show Willcoxson has convictions for assisting the escape of a prisoner, two counts of escape from a county jail, two counts of second-degree burglary, and another count of escape. The records show his concurrent prison sentences started on Dec. 15, 2004, and ended on May 27, 2008.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Jeff Maddy, a spokesman for Fort Leonard Wood, says Willcoxson tried to enter the post on Thursday morning. Guards requested his identification and tried to deny him access to the post after discovering he is an ex-con. They say he ignored their commands and drove into Fort Leonard Wood. Maddy says a chase by Military Police officers ensued and Willcoxson left the post by another gate and fled to Rolla</span>.
Pulaski County Sheriff J.B. King said St. Robert police helped chase the man to Rolla. He said his deputies were behind St. Robert police, and the sheriff was behind his deputies during the chase. King said at 11:50 a.m. that there was no indication Willcoxson had doubled back toward St. Robert and Waynesville. He said all his deputies were back in his county.
At 9:10 a.m., the university posted that the man had left campus, but advised those on campus to continue to secure buildings and stay indoors. The message advised people not already on campus to avoid campus.
A Missouri S&T representative says law enforcement officers believe the man is no longer armed, because they found an AK47 rifle under a brown pickup on campus. The university says finals are still going on and students on campus are being told to stay inside buildings. Students and staff not on campus are being told to stay away.
Police have shut down exits 185 and 186 in Rolla because of police activity. The Missouri Department of Transportation estimates the closure would last until early afternoon.
News release, 10:35 a.m.:
ROLLA, Mo. – The campus of Missouri University of Science and Technology remains in lockdown mode after a man who fired shots near campus entered a Missouri S&T building around 8:45 a.m. CDT today.
No shots were fired on campus and no injuries to any campus personnel (students, faculty or staff) were reported.
As of 10:15 a.m. CDT today, the suspect, a white male, is still at large and was last seen near White Columns Drive, a residential area northwest of campus across Interstate 44.
The suspect was last seen wearing a blue-and-white t-shirt and may be bleeding from one hand.
Missouri S&T issued a lockdown alert at around 8:40 a.m. today after the suspect had entered McNutt Hall, which houses classrooms, offices and laboratories. The suspect soon exited the building and traveled on foot north of campus.
Police recovered a firearm near McNutt Hall.
All university students, faculty and staff are to remain in their buildings until Missouri S&T Police issue an all-clear. Individuals off-campus are asked to remain away from campus until the all-clear has been issued.
ROLLA, Mo. -- Missouri S&T University went on a lockdown just before 9 a.m. Thursday after a report that a man with a gun was on campus in McNutt Hall, a building in the mining department. A text alert was sent out and a message was posted on S&T's website.
Law enforcement officers later said no shots were fired on campus but some shots were fired near campus. One shot hit a sheriff's deputy's car.
Law enforcement officers chased the man to Rolla from Fort Leonard Wood. The Rolla police chief says the man crashed a stolen vehicle in Rolla, walked through a university classroom building with a rifle, broke into a home near campus, and then stole a car from the person in that home. Just before noon, the chief said they think the man is still in Rolla.
The chief said, at one point, he had the man in his sights and could have shot at him, but the man was near a school and the chief thought there was a risk that a student could have been hit if he'd fired.
Late morning, law enforcement officers confirmed they are looking for Cody Willcoxson, 31, who has served time in prison in Oklahoma. He's 5-foot-10, 180 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. He's reported to have tattoos, including symbols from an Indian tribe, skulls, an iron cross, and faces. He's reported to have a 12-inch scar on his stomach. In some instances, he's spelled his last name Wilcoxson.
Online records show Willcoxson has convictions for assisting the escape of a prisoner, two counts of escape from a county jail, two counts of second-degree burglary, and another count of escape. The records show his concurrent prison sentences started on Dec. 15, 2004, and ended on May 27, 2008.
<span style="font-weight: bold">Jeff Maddy, a spokesman for Fort Leonard Wood, says Willcoxson tried to enter the post on Thursday morning. Guards requested his identification and tried to deny him access to the post after discovering he is an ex-con. They say he ignored their commands and drove into Fort Leonard Wood. Maddy says a chase by Military Police officers ensued and Willcoxson left the post by another gate and fled to Rolla</span>.
Pulaski County Sheriff J.B. King said St. Robert police helped chase the man to Rolla. He said his deputies were behind St. Robert police, and the sheriff was behind his deputies during the chase. King said at 11:50 a.m. that there was no indication Willcoxson had doubled back toward St. Robert and Waynesville. He said all his deputies were back in his county.
At 9:10 a.m., the university posted that the man had left campus, but advised those on campus to continue to secure buildings and stay indoors. The message advised people not already on campus to avoid campus.
A Missouri S&T representative says law enforcement officers believe the man is no longer armed, because they found an AK47 rifle under a brown pickup on campus. The university says finals are still going on and students on campus are being told to stay inside buildings. Students and staff not on campus are being told to stay away.
Police have shut down exits 185 and 186 in Rolla because of police activity. The Missouri Department of Transportation estimates the closure would last until early afternoon.
News release, 10:35 a.m.:
ROLLA, Mo. – The campus of Missouri University of Science and Technology remains in lockdown mode after a man who fired shots near campus entered a Missouri S&T building around 8:45 a.m. CDT today.
No shots were fired on campus and no injuries to any campus personnel (students, faculty or staff) were reported.
As of 10:15 a.m. CDT today, the suspect, a white male, is still at large and was last seen near White Columns Drive, a residential area northwest of campus across Interstate 44.
The suspect was last seen wearing a blue-and-white t-shirt and may be bleeding from one hand.
Missouri S&T issued a lockdown alert at around 8:40 a.m. today after the suspect had entered McNutt Hall, which houses classrooms, offices and laboratories. The suspect soon exited the building and traveled on foot north of campus.
Police recovered a firearm near McNutt Hall.
All university students, faculty and staff are to remain in their buildings until Missouri S&T Police issue an all-clear. Individuals off-campus are asked to remain away from campus until the all-clear has been issued.
