Galloway, NJ – A tense afternoon at Stockton University came to an end Thursday after police lifted a campus-wide shelter-in-place order that had been in effect for several hours while officers searched for suspects linked to an off-campus shooting.
The emergency began shortly after 1:30 p.m., when university officials ordered students and staff to remain indoors as Galloway Township Police reported two suspects were seen entering campus in a vehicle believed to be tied to the shooting.
At 2:05 p.m., police said they were looking for two men in a white sedan, including one described as a white male wearing a green shirt with long blond hair. Minutes later, an alert revised the vehicle description to a white Honda CRV SUV.
Campus alerts instructed the community to stay inside until police gave the all clear. By 4:03 p.m., Stockton Police announced the shelter order was lifted, though a heavy police presence remained. Officials urged caution while leaving campus.
All classes and activities at Stockton’s campuses were canceled for the remainder of the day, with shuttle services resuming later in the evening and campus dining operations reopening after 5 p.m. A normal schedule is expected to resume Friday.
Further details on the suspects or their whereabouts were not immediately released. Updates are being posted on the university’s emergency alert page.
Key Points
- Stockton University issued a shelter-in-place order Thursday afternoon after reports of suspects tied to an off-campus shooting entered campus.
- Police described the suspects as two men, one with long blond hair, last seen in a white SUV.
- The lockdown was lifted at 4:03 p.m., but classes were canceled for the remainder of the day.
The campus lockdown turned a quiet day into a sudden security scare.