Faculty and staff members were alerted via email to watch for any suspicious activity on campus Tuesday after an anonymous gun threat was forwarded to Chief of Police Bob Pastula.

Pastula was notified after a student saw the submission on a smartphone app that read that someone would be coming to “shoot up campus.” The threat was posted on the smartphone app Yik Yak, where users can anonymously submit posts.

Because the post was anonymous, there is little to no evidence for an investigation right now, Pastula said.

Students, faculty or staff members who notice suspicious activity should alert the campus police department immediately. Authorities can be reached at 256-765-4357.

UNA Police have since tripled patrols and personnel, while receiving additional assistance from State Police, according to an email from Chief Pastula at 1:54 p.m. on April 15. 

“This has not been determined as a “credible” threat, and is non traceable from an investigstion standpoint,” Pastula said in the email. “For now we are NOT IN lockdown just on high alert…..be alert and notify UPD of anything suspicious.”

UPDATE: University Police are currently working with the security department of the mobile application Yik Yak to trace the origin of the anonymous threat.

“We are continuing to develop leads and process information narrowing down the field of suspects and closing in on the offender,” Pastula said.  “Within the next few days we should be able to identify the suspect and charge them with making a terrorist threat.”  

News Editor Pace Holdbrooks contributed to the reporting of this story.