Man with rifle and body armor seen entering MIT building in Cambridge MA (HOAX)

[WilliamPitt]

Last edited Sat Feb 23, 2013, 12:32 PM - Edit history (4)

Source: MIT Emergency Information/Local news

Last update, State Police say it was a hoax: https://twitter.com/globepete/status/305348993649627137

Update: police are standing down. This appears to have been either mistaken identity, a hoax or a prank.

http://www.boston.com/metrodesk/2013/02/23/reports-gunman-inside-mit-unfounded/c568YLIB1fnW2XOhDqXIXO/story.html

===

Original post:

This morning information was received from Cambridge Police that there was a person with a long rifle and body armor in the Main Group Building of MIT. Multiple law enforcement agencies have responded, stay indoors and shelter in place and report suspicious activity to the campus police dispatch dial 100. More updates to follow.

CBS Boston: http://boston.cbslocal.com/2013/02/23/mit-on-lockdown-report-of-man-with-rifle-on-campus/

UPDATE: Cambridge police say no sign of man with gun: https://twitter.com/CambridgePolice/status/305324628149153792

Read more: http://emergency.mit.net/emergency/

---

Local news is reporting on this as well. I will update as information comes.

BEAR IN MIND: this could be a prank. MIT is notorious for pranks, and not all of them are funny.

Update: police are standing down.

Last update, it was a hoax.

[monmouth3]

1. Does this insanity never end?...n/t

[leveymg]

2. He's not interested in completing math problems on the chalk boards. eom

[another_liberal]

3. Not again!

Please let this one be just a very tasteless prank.

[WilliamPitt]

6. It could be

MIT is notorious for pranks, and not all of them are funny.

[mopinko]

16. this one could still turn out to be hilarious.

i mean, some of them have been pretty damn hysterical.

[Cooley Hurd]

4. Jeebus!

[Sekhmets Daughter]

5. Yes please do.

[Mnemosyne]

7. Isn't today 'show our dic, er, guns' in public day? They are doing it in my area. Hope it's just an

asshole. Please let it be.

[WilliamPitt]

9. The body armor report

makes me very worried.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

26. If it's body armor

I'd guess that some students can't tell an armored vest from a fishing vest.

Anyway, sounds like there was no shooting.

[Mnemosyne]

30. Me too, Will. Any word yet? People going nuts all over the place, hoping this isn't the case. nt

[MannyGoldstein]

8. Oh shit.

Thanks.

[tridim]

10. Just another responsible gun owner exercising his rights. Eh NRA?

[union_maid]

11. Hoping it's a prank

MIT guys can be really out there. If it is, though, the prankster is probably in for a world of hurt when he gets caught.

[WilliamPitt]

12. UPDATED: Cambridge cops see nothing

https://twitter.com/CambridgePolice/status/305324628149153792

[magical thyme]

13. if it's a prank, it's a phenomenally stupid one

and frankly should result in major consequences. In the current environment, this is essentially an act of terrorism.

The body armor is very worrying.

[Duppers]

15. I agree - NOT Funny!!

[midwest irish]

14. No, it's ok because

--insert whatever NRA excuse/justification is popular this week--

[baldguy]

18. Thank you for proving that America needs national gun control.

Or are you one of those who doesn't realize guns can be carried from one place to another rather easily?

[kestrel91316]

25. Welcome to DU. Enjoy your stay.

[WilliamPitt]

19. UPDATE: police standing down

http://www.boston.com/news/source/2013/02/reports_man_spotted_mit_campus_long_rifle_body_armor.html

Either mistaken identity, a hoax or a prank.

[WilliamPitt]

20. My friend Jason made the astute observation

that it could have been a student dressed up as a stormtrooper. It is MIT, after all.

[PoliticAverse]

21. Or...

http://mitathletics.com/sports/c-rifle/index

[WilliamPitt]

22. Yeah, but the body armor..

I was thinking it wqas a geared-up lacrosse player with their stick...and an observer who forgot their glasses.

[Sunlei]

23. oh thats a good find, someone with their MIT competition air rifle on MIT grounds.

[Marrah_G]

32. So true!!!!!!

[whistler162]

24. Dang I told him not to get dressed for the trip

to the Mesozoic era until after he was in the building!

[WilliamPitt]

27. IT WAS A HOAX

So say the State Police: https://twitter.com/globepete/status/305348993649627137

[Tumbulu]

28. The poor school admin people

our public high school (and 4 elementary schools near it) was locked down because someone called the police about a teenager walking towards the school with a gun.

Turns out it was BB gun, but 5 schools went into lock down, all the parents in the entire district were notified....the level of fear is so high. And how can we blame them for over reacting? How can they tell who will be next? I just want a giant magnet to hover over our nation and pick up all the firearms!

[MizzM]

29. Sometimes, too smart isn't a good thing

Years ago my dad was an elevator company supervisor. He got called to MIT frequently for an elevator problem. He would come back shaking his head over the ability of these kids to screw up an elevator. Funny in a way I suppose, but these hijinx got darn expensive in repair bills. Eventually MIT had to clamp down on these pranks.

[Hard Assets]

31. Tonight begins a Jewish Halloweenish holiday of Purim

my son is going to go as a cop.