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Ferrum College along with law enforcement will hold another news conference at 4:30 p.m.
WSLS will carry this live on-air as well as stream it on the web. Click here at 4:30 p.m. to watch.

Click here for video from the 4:30 news conference

From the Ferrum Web site:
YOU MAY CALL 540-365-5555 FOR MORE INFORMATION. click here for Ferrum's emergency info page.

No one has been injured, but Ferrum College remains locked down today after a member of the college's housekeeping staff saw a young man armed with a handgun in a dormitory, officials said. Classes have been cancelled for the day.

He saw that she saw him, and told the housekeeper "not to say anything, everything is all right," said Franklin County Sheriff Ewell Hunt. The man then continued walking in the dorm, the housekeeper said.

Campus officials said the initial text alert described a "possible shooting" because they wanted to err on the side of caution.

Ferrum College President Jennifer L. Braaten said today’s incident is proof that the college’s safety system works. In the wake of last April’s shootings at Virginia Tech and the more recent Northern Illinois University shootings, "We’re being hypervigilant," she said. "You can never be too safe."

At 10:16 a.m., about two hours after the college notified students of a possible shooting on campus, another text alert went out saying "Everyone is safe."

The following was posted this morning on Ferrum's Web site: "In the best interest of the Ferrum College students, faculty and staff, we have put the college into a lockdown as a result of a possible situation on campus. There have been no incidents or injuries. Authorities have been notified and are on campus and in control."

Here is the text of the alerts sent out by the college this morning:

7:54 a.m.: POSSIBLE SHOOTING ON CAMPUS. STAY INDOORS. MORE DETAILS TO COME.

8:13 a.m.: FERRUM COLLEGE CAMPUS ON LOCKDOWN. STAY INDOORS.

8:43 a.m.: SIREN SILENCED BUT CAMPUS STILL ON LOCKDOWN. STAY INDOORS.

9:53 a.m.: CLASSES FOR TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 26 ARE CANCELLED.

10:16 a.m.: CONTINUE TO STAY INDOORS. AUTHORITIES ARE FOLLOWING PROTOCOL. EVERYONE IS SAFE.

10:39 a.m.: AS OF 10:30 AM, CAMPUS STILL ON LOCKDOWN. CONTINUE TO STAY INDOORS.

2:40 p.m.: LOCKDOWN CONTINUES AS AUTHORITIES ATTEMPT TO COMPLETE INVESTIGATION. STUDENTS AND EMPLOYESS REMAIN SAFE IN CENTRALIZED LOCATION.

Lucia Burnette, spokeswoman for the Franklin County Sheriff's Department, said the lockdown and search of the buildings is "very much precautionary."

"It's a very good exercise for when there could be something serious," she said. "But there were no shots fired, nothing like that. Just a suspicious male seen in a building."

Ferrum Elementary School also locked down as a result of the situation on Ferrum College's campus.

In Franklin County, on Route 40 east and west, at Route 748, just west of Ferrum, the road is closed. A detour, with signs, is in place at Route 781, (King Richard Road). Motorists are advised to use alternate routes and expect delays.

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