NEW CONCORD, Ohio — Late Monday night, the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office clarified that a reported shooting incident at Muskingum University, which had resulted in the campus being placed on lockdown, was a misunderstanding and no shooting actually occurred.
Authorities from the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office remained on campus to carry out a thorough investigation into the reports. They advised the public to avoid the university vicinity until further notice.
Sheriff Matt Lutz explained that the initial report of a potential shooter was based on a miscommunication by a university staff member. The individual had misinterpreted student conversations concerning a noisy domestic disagreement earlier in the day.
“It was misconstrued by law enforcement as a scenario involving a person with a hostage or armed individual,” Lutz detailed in his official statement. After conducting interviews with students and meticulously inspecting buildings, officials found no signs to corroborate the presence of a shooter, allowing the lockdown to be lifted.
Muskingum University itself had posted an alert on its website, citing a potential shooting and advising everyone on campus to secure themselves in place while awaiting further updates. The university pledged to keep the campus community informed as more information became available.
Located about 70 miles east of Columbus, Muskingum University is a liberal arts college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. It hosts over 2,100 undergraduate and graduate students, according to its official site.