Curfew lifted after incident at SAU Tech in Camden

CAMDEN, Arkansas – On Tuesday afternoon, the SAU Tech campus in Camden, Arkansas, was cordoned off after reports of a man found nearby with a rifle.

According to reports, at around 12:28 p.m., SAU Tech security received a report of a man spotted with what appeared to be a rifle across the woods outside a fence at the Arkansas Fire Training Academy (AFTA), which is about three miles from the school’s main campus.

Police were immediately notified and began searching the area using a drone. Vice Principal Jamie Goodwin made the decision to lock down AFTA and the school campus quickly followed suit.

At around 1:45 p.m., the county sheriff’s office confirmed that the incident was under control and there was no active shooter on campus. They then decided that the lockdown could be lifted.

“We take these situations very seriously and strictly adhere to our safety protocols to ensure the well-being of our students and the campus community. The immediate lockdown was a precautionary measure, and I want to assure everyone that there is no active threat to our campus at this time,” said Chancellor Jerry Thomas.