Police Say Reports Of Gunman At An Illinois University Are A 'Hoax'

Police in the US state of Illinois have said they now believe reports of a gunman at a graduate dorm at Northwestern University's Evenston campus are a hoax.

"There is a report of a person with a gun in Engelhart Hall at the corner of Emerson Street and Maple Avenue," the university tweeted Wednesday afternoon.

"Evanston and Northwestern University police are on the scene. Seek shelter if in the area."

Evanston Police so far said they have found 'no evidence of a victim, scene or gunman' but are continuing to search and secure the area.

Alan Cubbage, a spokesperson for the school, told the Chicago Tribune the school had received a report of a shooting inside Engelhart Hall, which houses graduate students and their families.

Students were notified of an 'emergency' at 2:40 p.m. about a person with a gun on campus, the school's student newspaper, The Daily Northwestern reported.

The university later tweeted that there is no threat to Northwestern students not near to Engelhart Hall, but anyone who is not in the area should stay away until further notice.

Evenston Police Comdr. Ryan Glew initially said the department couldn't yet confirm whether the initial warning of shots fired was a hoax.

"That could be a possibility that we are also investigating," Evanston Police Cmdr. Ryan Glew, a spokesman for the department, told reporters near the dorm around 3:45 p.m, according to the Tribune.

"We're still treating this as an active investigation."

Glew said that someone had called the department about shots being fired, saying that 'he was the offender and the victim is his girlfriend'.

Police later confirmed in a press conference that they believe the incident is a hoax after police met with the alleged victim in person and found that she was safe. No gun was found at the scene.