BU on lockdown after a witness mistook running vest for suicide vest

Bournemouth University was on lockdown today with students being kept inside university buildings for an hour.

It was reported yet that a man “covered in blood” tried to get into the university, a statement from Dorset Police clarified it was in fact a man in a running vest, which a witness mistook for a suicide vest.

Witnesses reported seeing ambulances on the scene, as well as armed police and a helicopter.

The full statement from Dorset Police reads: “Dorset Police received a report at 2:33 pm on Friday 10 January regarding a security alert relating to a man seen in the area of the Boundary roundabout near to Bournemouth University.

“An initial report suggested the man could be wearing something that resembled a suicide vest. As a precaution, the university was placed on lockdown as searches of the area were carried out.

Officers attended the scene and undertook an investigation, including a review of CCTV footage, and it was established that it was believed to be someone running in a fitness vest.

“The lockdown has now been lifted and we do not believe there is any further cause for concern or threat to the public.”

Campus has returned to normal

Third-year Journalism student Beth Dean told The Tab: “I work at the SUBU Ground Up cafe, the bottom floor around 100 foot from the doors.

“We face them all day, and neither I or any of the other staff saw any commotion or anything until we were told that we were on lockdown.

“They were letting people in but not out of all the uni building including the library and media buildings, but there’s still nothing confirmed.

“However I don’t believe the reports of the bloodied man as I feel I or one of my colleagues would have seen it.”

Multimedia student Chaar Yeates told The Tab: “I was locked in the Fusion Building and there was a mixture of worry and excitement. The incident lasted just under an hour, with security guards guarding doors and unable to relay any information, and police helicopters circling the campus.

“All we know is of rumours that people have reported on Twitter.. such as seeing a man covered in blood in the SUBU building or of someone carrying a gun.”

A Fashion student at AUB told The Tab: “We were in our studios and our mates were getting texts about it all but everyone thought it was a joke.

“That is now complete and as such, the campus has reopened.”

Arts University Bournemouth was also on lockdown, according to reports from Twitter:

Bus services were cancelled during the incident, but have now resumed. A spokesperson for Unibus said on Twitter: “Following an earlier police incident, all UNIBUS services are now following usual routes.

“We are expecting services to busier than usual, and are providing additional capacity where possible.”

This is a breaking story. We will update the story as we learn more.