10/13/2026
Dear CSU community,
Yesterday evening, many of you received an emergency alert or saw media coverage about an incident on campus. We’re writing to share what we can, thank those who responded, and make sure everyone is aware of the support available.
Here is what we know. On Monday evening, CSU Police received a report of a person acting erratically near Newton Plaza. When an officer arrived, a man armed with a handgun advanced toward the officer, and the man was shot. He was taken to an area hospital where he is being treated. No one else was injured. CSUPD determined there was no ongoing threat to campus and it was not an active shooter incident. The Critical Incident Response Team, led by Fort Collins Police Services, is investigating, and any further information will come from FCPS. A fuller summary is available at safety.colostate.edu.
We’re deeply grateful to CSUPD, FCPS and our other law enforcement and first responder partners for their swift response, and for the care and professionalism they showed in a difficult situation.
We also know that an incident like this is unsettling. Please check on one another and take care of those around you. If you or someone you know needs support, we encourage you to use the resources below.
Students: Support services, including counseling, are available at: https://studentaffairs.colostate.edu/resource/students/student-support/
Faculty and staff: The Employee Assistance Program offers free, confidential counseling and resources, available 24/7, for you and your family members: https://hr.colostate.edu/employee-assistance-program/
Yesterday’s alert and all clear messages each went to more than 48,000 email addresses and text numbers belonging to members of our campus community. We recognize that some people did not receive the text alerts. We are currently working to understand why that happened and to fix the issue going forward. If you’re not yet receiving text alerts, you can opt in by following the instructions at https://safety.colostate.edu/sign-up-for-emergency-alerts/. Campus digital screens are utilized for situations with an ongoing threat, which CSUPD determined was not the case here.
Separately, some of you may have seen reports of a student arrest in a residence hall yesterday. That matter is unrelated to the incident near Newton Plaza.
Thank you for your care for one another and for this community.
Lise Youngblade, Provost and Executive Vice President
Blanche Hughes, Vice President for Student Affairs
