Man in Halloween costume reported as suspicious person by university police
ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 WOFL) - Police at the University of Central Florida say a student who had dressed as "The Terminator" for Halloween wore a bandolier of live ammunition around his chest to class Tuesday afternoon.
“He came into class wearing the bandolier on his shoulder, and I was sitting there and I looked at him and I kind of had to do a double take, like what is going on,” said Shey Conway, a student.
UCF police immediately responded to the Classroom 1 Building after receiving a 911 call from a professor.
“She said he had a strap across his chest ok, that was large ammunition,” said the 911 caller.
Some students were evacuated until officers found the 20-year-old junior in class with shot gun shells strapped to his body.
“We saw them come in and they were carrying rifles,” said Elizabeth Gondar, another student.
“I could tell immediately it was a Halloween costume. It was scary though when the police came in and took him out,” Conway said.
UCF Police Chief Carl Metzger says they only received one call about the costume which he says is a little concerning.
“It looks alarming, it looks threatening, it looks scary and if I had seen it as a student,I would have picked up my phone and called 911, and that's what we want from our campus community,” Metzger said.
Police briefly detained the student, then eventually let him go after determining he had no ill intent and there was no threat to campus. The student will not face any criminal charges.