Averett University and the Danville Police Department are issuing a joint statement regarding the lockdown on Averett’s campus late Saturday evening:
Events like these can cause confusion and concern for students, parents, employees and neighbors. We are proud and grateful for the ongoing collaboration between Averett University and the Danville Police Department. Our joint commitment to securing the campus is our top priority.
Danville Police and Averett officials determined there was no immediate threat during the initial response. Officials conducted a follow-up investigation and based on the information known to us at this time, there was never a firearm involved in this incident. Out of an abundance of precaution, Danville Police conducted some additional followup today resulting in the conclusion of the investigation this afternoon. There are no criminal charges to be made. The rumors on social media of shots being fired or related posts were false.
The safety and security of the Averett students is of utmost importance to Averett and the Danville Police Department. Though this turned out to be a non-event, we are pleased with the fact that our reporting processes and the initial police response were swift and decisive.
As part of our commitment to improvement, we will review and evaluate our joint response to this incident in order to maintain the highest standard of safety for our Averett Family and surrounding community.