Schools officials have identified a California State University, Northridge philosophy student whose alleged comments about having a gun triggered a daylong law enforcement response and partial campus shutdown.
Gahren Moradian, 22, of Burbank surrendered to authorities about 8 p.m. Tuesday, CSUN's Christina Villalobos told City News Service.
The gun scare started with initial reports to university police about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. Witnesses said a man was at the library wearing a white T-shirt emblazoned with the words "human rights violation."
Someone had approached the man, who appeared to be "in distress," and asked if he was OK, said Carmen Ramos Chandler of Cal State Northridge. Apparently, that is when he indicated he had a weapon, though none was seen.
"He indicated that he had a gun and made comments that he was planning to use it," Villalobos said.
Campus police evacuated the Oviatt Library and began a search for the suspect while circulating his description. The campus, however, remained open.
A student contacted authorities and provided a photo of someone fitting the man's description, which authorities also distributed. Moradian turned himself in hours later.
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Police used bomb-sniffing dogs during the library search, but found "nothing threatening," said Chandler.
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