Active Shooter Reports At The University Of Michigan Turned Out To Be Girls Popping Balloons While Yelling

Photo courtesy University of Michigan

Around 5 pm Saturday evening, a message went out from the University of Michigan’s Twitter account. They warned students of an active shooter that was roaming one of their halls.

UM EAlert Ann Arbor: Active shooter in Mason Hall . Run, hide, fight. https://t.co/NofE7JP8yS. https://t.co/03ZOte5ylP

— University of Michigan (@UMich) March 16, 2019

We were hoping when we first heard this, obviously, that it was a false alarm. Well, false alarm it was, indeed.

The cause of the chaos?

From Washtenaw County Sheriff: A group of 14 girls were popping balloons while screaming at or near Mason Hall. A group of students heard this and started running. This triggered the alert on campus. Police have given the all-clear.

— Steve Garagiola (@SteveGaragiola) March 16, 2019

I can tell the difference between a balloon popping and a firearm discharging, but I’m assuming that not everyone can. Couple that with a very recent mass shooting, and people are likely to be on edge, especially if they hear something that they think could possibly be someone firing a gun.

What’s the takeaway? I guess it’s fair that police were called, and we don’t really know where the person(s) was when they heard the noises. The bottom line is to have a plan, whether you’re at a mall with your family or on a college campus with your friends.

Have a plan, know what you’re going to do in certain situations, and be smart about the actions you take.