Police said there is no threat to public safety after a “Run, Hide, Fight” alert was sent by the UW Whitewater's alert system.
Around 11:30am CDT, the alert systems of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus were activated. An alert was sent out to the university community in Whitewater, Wisconsin via text message asking them to shelter in place. "This is not a drill," it read.
“University Police asks the Whitewater campus community to remain sheltered in place until told otherwise,” the alert added. Claims about a potential shooting on the campus also spread.
But after around 30 minutes of police response in the campus, an official with the university confirmed that there was no threat to the public. It is, however, unclear why the alert system was suddenly activated.
"There is no threat to life safety. Police have confirmed there was no threat to life safety earlier today when the alert system was activated," an alert sent out at 11:37am CDT read.
Matthew Kiederlen, the Chief Police at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater also confirmed that there was no threat.
"There's not anything that I'm aware of right now that I would do differently or ask anyone to do differently. Our partners responded properly. Our community responded well. Everything went as best as I could have hoped for in the situation," Kiederlen said
The alert sparked a massive panic as Wednesday marked the first day of classes for the fall semester at UW-Whitewater.
Shamik is a journalist covering the United States for Hindustan Times. He has more than four years of experience reporting on US politics, sports, and major breaking stories across fast-moving cycles. He previously worked at Times Now and Sportskeeda, building strong newsroom instincts and digital storytelling skills. At HT.com, he focuses on day-to-day coverage of US political developments while also handling high-impact stories that demand speed, accuracy, clarity, and context under pressure. Shamik has extensive experience covering NFL game days over the past two years, coordinating live updates, analysis, and explainers. He is particularly drawn to large news moments such as US elections and the Super Bowl, where he thrives at the news desk working alongside the team. He holds degrees in Media Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia and English Literature from Jadavpur University. Before entering journalism, he briefly worked in digital marketing and political consultancy roles. Currently a Senior Content Producer at HT Digital, he is driven by curiosity, discipline, and a constant desire to explore new and obscure topics. Outside work, he enjoys reading, films, sports, and learning continuously.Read More
