The shooting deaths of two men in an apparent murder-suicide prompted a lockdown on the UCLA campus that was documented by students on social media.
The shooting occurred in Boelter Hall on the Westwood campus, which was swarmed by hundreds of officers during a search for a possible shooter. Police later said there was no threat to the campus.
News of the shooting at the engineering lab quickly spread through social media, as the UCLA Bruin Alert system alerted students to first avoid the area at Engineering Building 4 and then promoted them to lockdown.
Students and professors on campus took to social media platforms such as Twitter and Instagram to show locking mechanisms they made themselves. Student Carrie Rapaport tweeted she used her belt to secure down a door, while Pranasha Shrestha improvised a locking mechanism with chairs and water bottles.
An amazing image by my daughter Betsy Strazzante from darkened #UCLA classroom after shooting on campus. pic.twitter.com/VXmJOZehEk
— Scott Strazzante (@ScottStrazzante) June 1, 2016
Cops now checking door to door. Making sure doors are locked? #UCLA #UCLAshooting pic.twitter.com/UALKHGTe6k
— Karaface (@karaleung) June 1, 2016
Using my belt to lock the door down. #UCLA #activeshooter pic.twitter.com/XIxm0uWIe3
— Carrie Rapaport ⚽️ (@newt_ripley) June 1, 2016
Causually eating pesto made by my professor in the middle of a shooting here at UCLA ��
— María (@shesmariamaria) June 1, 2016
Professor has locked all the doors. She is texting me that they are all being quiet and waiting. #terrifying #ucla
— Linda Colombo (@lindacolombo) June 1, 2016
Stay clear of Engineering IV. Police are on the scene. The campus remains on lockdown. https://t.co/oeYFesFnj8
— UCLA (@UCLA) June 1, 2016
Doors open outward with no locks so we had to improvise our own locking mechanism #uclashooting #engineers pic.twitter.com/GAI1OeCSzK
— Pranasha Shrestha (@pranashalovesu) June 1, 2016
BruinAlert: Shooting at Engineering 4. Go to secure location and deny entry (lockdown) now!
— UCLA Bruin Alert (@UCLABruinAlert) June 1, 2016
BruinAlert: Police Activity vic Engineering Building 4. Avoid area until further notice
— UCLA Bruin Alert (@UCLABruinAlert) June 1, 2016
One of my best friends is currently on lockdown. Praying for UCLA and for an end to these senseless shootings��
— Mariel Sandoval (@marielsteph) June 1, 2016
To all of my UCLA friends, please be safe !!
— Michelle (@My__shell) June 1, 2016
Twitter user Scott Strazzante tweeted images of his daughter who took poignant black and white shots of students while on lockdown.
Classes and events on the campus have been canceled for the rest of the day.
