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Breaking news: UW Students urged to avoid campus, stay indoors
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Also by Nick Penzenstadler and Carl Jaeger:
Related Stories:
- Breaking news: Suicidal man roams west campus (September 25, 2007)
- 'Suicidal man' causes campus scare; UW Hospital locks down (September 26, 2007)
- Security threats show response (September 28, 2007)
- Police respond to frat concern (September 18, 2007)
- Back to normal following scare (September 27, 2007)
by Nick Penzenstadler and Carl Jaeger
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
UWPD assistant chief Dale Burke issued a briefing for media around 6:30 p.m. for updates about the search for Jesse A. Miller, 19, an escapee from an area work release program after he went missing September 8.
The UWPD is urging students to avoid the campus area. Students already on campus are being told to stay indoors. Memorial Union was on lock-down as of about 8:30, and other lock-downs have occurred at the Natatorium and UW Hospital.
Burke confirmed they had three communications regarding Miller, including the first call from the Dane County Crisis center at 4:40 in the afternoon.
“We were informed this young man was suicidal, that he possessed a weapon and he wanted to be killed by a police officer,” Burke said.
Burke said police then began to go building by building and ramp by ramp looking for the suspect before locking down areas.
Classes were closed west of the Veterinary Medicine building and the men’s soccer match was canceled at the McClimon Sports Center.
Burke also confirmed reports that a call was made to 911 centers claiming to hear shots fired and see people fleeing the scene near University and Highland Avenue. UWPD suspects Miller made the call
himself. A third phone call to emergency officials was also allegedly made by Miller with a bomb threat to the UW Hospital.
Burke said Miller has no affiliation with UW and was previously charged with armed robbery, and also had contact with the UWPD with a similar threat of suicide in an unrelated incident.
Although the entrances to UW Hospital where shut down during the search, at around 6:45 Jeff Lenzen of University Health announced the hospital had been cleared and they were back to “business as usual.”
Since no one has seen Miller in person, Burke said he could be in any location.
“We don’t know if he was ever at the hospital when he placed the call. … He could have been placing those calls from outside of Madison for all we know.”
The university confirmed they will pay for all Union Cab, Badger Cab and Madison Cab fares for students who wish to take one home this evening.
Union Cab: (608) 242-2000 Badger Cab: (608) 256-5566 Madison Cab: (608) 257-8294
Anonymous (September 25, 2007 @ 9:28pm):
Just wanted to remind everybody to call your parents and let them know you're ok if you think they might be watching the news and worryinig about you.
Anonymous (September 25, 2007 @ 10:11pm):
Lock my door, call a cab. Next time Jesse, call from Camp Randall and hour before a home game, we'll see how much cancellation and free cab rides there are!
Anonymous (September 25, 2007 @ 10:33pm):
Somebody find this son of a bitch and call it a day!
Anonymous (September 25, 2007 @ 11:25pm):
So if we see him we are supposed to leave the area and call 911 but we should just walk to class like nothing happened, like there isn't a crazy suicidal armed idiot on our campus??
Anonymous (September 25, 2007 @ 11:37pm):
Hopefully classes will continued to be cancelled... My class was cancelled tonight and I was jumping for joy because a paper was due that I definitely DIDN'T do!
Anonymous (September 25, 2007 @ 11:46pm):
the university picking up cab fares???? wow, what a great move on their part. now that's being proactive!
Anonymous (September 26, 2007 @ 12:13am):
Idea: Is it possible to take a cab to Devil's Lake?
Anonymous (September 26, 2007 @ 8:56am):
I would like to thank the NAT staff for their caution last night. I was to walk to work at UW Hospital and had no idea what was going on and they explained the situation and took action by sheltering students and keeping them alerted to the situation. Thankfully, I just stayed there.
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