Oakland University students react to search for robbery suspects on campus
(CBS DETROIT) - Hours of panic, worry and confusion for students at Oakland University as law enforcement officials searched on campus for two armed suspects connected to a robbery in Genesee County.
The search prompted a shelter in place order for students early Monday morning.
Senior Dontae Walker said he learned about the situation during a phone call with his mom, who was concerned for the safety of the students on campus.
"She was very worried," Walker said.
Police said the suspects were connected to a shootout at a car dealership in Genesee County after multiple cars were stolen from the lot.
The suspects later abandoned one of the cars on OU's campus, prompting a manhunt.
Officers also spotted one of the vehicles they believed to be stolen going southbound on I-75 near Joslyn.
They gave chase, but the car crashed—the driver died.
Police believe at least 13 cars were stolen from the dealership. Some of them have been recovered.
"It was a very scary time and a time of uncertainty for sure," said Amir Mitchell, a freshman at the university.
Mitchell said there were moments of panic for many students during the ordeal. He said the campus was a ghost town, adding some students were locked inside university facilities while police searched the campus.
"Classes were canceled. I know there were people on the sports teams that were locked in the swimming pool. There were people that were locked in the weight room because, you know, you couldn't go outside," he said.
Oakland University Police gave the all clear shortly before 10:00 a.m. after a witness saw the suspects leave in an unidentified vehicle.
"There was definitely a huge sigh of relief that we can, you know, unboard the doors [and] unlock them, you know," said Mitchell. "We can go outside, people can come in from being locked in the swimming pool. My parents are texting me. Okay, I hear there's an all clear. Everything's okay."
Police are still investigating.
The suspects who prompted the shelter-in-place have yet to be captured.