Reports of armed person prompts evacuation of Heerlen school

Police in Limburg descended on a vocational school in Heerlen after receiving a report of an armed person on school grounds. Vista College was evacuated shortly after the report was made just before 10 a.m. on Friday.

It sparked a manhunt at the campus and surrounding area. A heavy police presence included several foot patrols, a tactical team, and a police helicopter which was present in the area during the incident.

About two hours after the report was made, authorities said the search had ended. The person they were looking for was not found.

One student told local media outlet L1 that the alleged suspect was a classmate. “We were in class and suddenly the police stormed in with shields and body armor. But there was nothing wrong at all,” the student said.

No official information about the weapon or the suspect was disclosed. “He was still here this morning. But there is nothing wrong. I am also sure that he was not armed,” the student continued.

The person who made the report and the suspect may have been involved in a personal relationship, a police spokesperson told news wire ANP. It was not clear if they were students, employees, or visitors.

“For us it is still questionable whether the person has been at the school at all, and if they were indeed armed,” a police representative told L1.

A search of the suspect’s home also turned up nothing, the spokesperson told ANP.

According to Vista College, the school building reopened at 1 p.m. Exams which had been scheduled for Friday would be pushed to a later date.