Campus Safety Update

May 14, 2026

Faculty and Staff, 

I want to provide clarification regarding an incident that occurred near campus yesterday afternoon. 

An isolated off-campus incident involving an individual being shot occurred near the university. Fort Wayne Police Department (FWPD) and the University Police Department (UPD) responded immediately. UPD's communication with senior leadership and the university’s emergency response team was immediate and ongoing.

After assessing the situation, UPD determined there was no immediate threat to the Purdue Fort Wayne campus community. Because the incident was isolated, contained, and did not pose a danger to campus, a campus lockdown was not initiated.

Unfortunately, some local media incorrectly reported that the university was on lockdown. To clarify, Purdue Fort Wayne was not placed on lockdown at any point during the incident because law enforcement determined there was no threat to the campus community.

The safety and security of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors remain our highest priority. We are grateful for the swift response and coordination of our university police officers and local law enforcement partners in ensuring the continued safety of our campus community.

As a reminder, we encourage all faculty, staff, and students to ensure they are signed up for RAVE notifications and campus security alerts so they can receive timely and accurate information during emergencies or important campus situations.

Thank you for your continued support and commitment to keeping our campus community safe.

Sincerely,

Ron Elsenbaumer, Chancellor