ITHACA, N.Y. (WCBS 880) — Police have reportedly arrested at least two suspects after a shootout prompted shelter-in-place orders at multiple Ithaca area schools, including parts of Cornell University, Tuesday afternoon.
According to tweets from Cornell, police were pursuing at least one man with a gun in the Cayuga Heights area, north of the university’s campus, just after 2 p.m.
As police investigated the incident, Baynton Middle School, Ithaca High School, Cayuga Heights Elementary School and Cornell University’s North Campus all entered into forms of lockdown.
The Ithaca City School District told parents and caretakers not to come to the school buildings while the shelter-in-place order was active.
The order was lifted just after 3:50 p.m., and students were permitted to leave the three local schools. However, all after school programs were canceled for the day.
Cornell issued an update around 5:30 p.m., telling students in certain parts of the campus to remain indoors with their windows and doors locked. All events on the North Campus and all prelims scheduled for the evening were canceled and will be rescheduled.
According to a report from WBNG, Cayuga Heights Police, Ithaca Police and the Tompkins County Sheriff’s Office were able to apprehend at least one of three suspects.
Authorities told the outlet that the incident began when two groups of people were involved in a shootout.
Police were able to chase one of the groups to the front yard of a residence, where one suspect was taken into custody, WBNG reported. Two others fled in a vehicle.
Ithaca Police told WBNG that a second suspect was arrested without incident, but a third suspect remains at large.
Suspects in the second group involved in the alleged shootout have not been identified yet, WBNG reported.
It remains unclear if any injuries have been reported in connection with the incident.
This story will be updated as more details become available…