Eastern Illinois University says report of armed person on campus was unfounded

CHARLESTON, Ill. - Officials at Eastern Illinois University say a report of an armed person on campus Monday morning appears to be unfounded.

What we know:

At about 9:20 a.m., the university received a call to a non-emergency line from an unidentified person claiming there was an armed individual on campus.

University police, working with local law enforcement, activated emergency protocols and sent an Alert EIU notification to students, employees, and community members. Officers quickly conducted walkthroughs of campus buildings and reviewed surveillance footage.

By 9:45 a.m., authorities found no one matching the description provided by the caller, and the university determined the report was unfounded.

Classes and campus operations have since returned to normal. Officials say anyone who sees suspicious activity should immediately call 911.

What you can do:

Counseling services are available for students and employees through the EIU Counseling Clinic at 217-581-3413 or by visiting the clinic in the Human Services Building.

Eastern Illinois University, located in Charleston, enrolls more than 8,000 students and is about 15 miles from Lake Land College in Mattoon, which initially posted online the report of the armed person at EIU.

"We are aware of a report of an alleged armed person on the EIU campus. The Lake Land Police Department and Policy Group are monitoring the situation. Should you see anything of concern, please notify the Lake Land College Police Department or contact 911," the post by Lake Land College read.

Editor's note: The first version of this story erroneously reported that the armed person was seen on the campus of Lake Land College.