A Ridiculously Huge Display of Force… All of that Just for an Umbrella!
The professor posing with his dangerous assault umbrella.
The University of San Marcos in California went on lockdown after someone mistook a man carrying an umbrella for a rifle which caused a campus-wide gun scare. [1] Students were ordered to take shelter in the morning after the San Diego County Sheriff’s department got a call that a bald man carrying a rifle was seen on campus. Just after 8 a.m., CSUSM police tweeted that anyone on campus should shelter in place and barricade. By 9:45 a.m., an all clear was given over the loudspeakers on campus. Police located the man shortly after 9 a.m. and surrounded him, pointing rifles at his head and searching him, until they realized that his “rifle” was actually an umbrella. A teacher at the campus told Fox5, the man realized he fit the description, called the police and “had to walk outside with his hands up.” [2] He was carrying an umbrella, not a weapon, a sheriff’s spokesperson said. The campus lockdown was lifted around 9:30 a.m. A neighbor the man shared pictures of the incident with Fox 5, one of a close up of the umbrella wrapped in a twisted sleeve. [3] Fall classes were scheduled to begin at the university the following Monday, but about 400 students were on campus Wednesday for orientation activities, school officials said.
Craig was held at gunpoint by sheriff’s deputies during the lockdown. He told 10News:
I guess you always think that when someone’s pointing a gun at you, you’re really going to freak out but I think I was just more focused on doing exactly what the officer said. [4]
He says he knew it was him the second the alert went out.
I was certain [..] It could have certainly been someone else. I mean, I’m not the only tall, bald guy here, but it fit me to a tee. [5]
