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CBS News: UCLA Student, Professor Dead In Murder-Suicide On Campus

LOS ANGELES (CBSNewYork/AP) --  Two men are dead in a murder-suicide shooting that took place inside an office on the campus of UCLA in Westwood, California.

Sources told CBS News the two people shot were a university professor and a student. Sources identified the professor as William S. Klug, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. The name of the student, who is believed to have been the shooter, has not been released.

The bodies of both men were found inside the office inside the engineering building. A gun was recovered at the scene, Los Angeles Police Department Chief Charlie Beck said.

"The method of suicide is gunshot wound," Beck said. "I won't go any further. Many, many questions are unanswered at this point."

Beck continued, "There is evidence that there could be a suicide note, but we do not know that at this point."

CBS2's Alice Gainer reported the campus was on lockdown for hours as there was a massive response at UCLA's 419-acre campus after reports of gunfire around 10 a.m. PT.

"UCLA PD responded to a report of three shots fired," Beck said. "We do not know if there were more than that."

Beck said the campus has been completely contained.

PHOTOS: UCLA Shooting

UCLA quickly put out a lockdown to alert students, letting them know there was a possible shooting at an engineering building located in the middle of campus.

"I was walking by the engineering building and I just saw everyone running out," one student said.

Students in nearby buildings posted photos online as they barricaded their classroom doors.

Chopper video showed students exiting buildings with their hands on their heads as a line of student knelt on the ground.

The university has more than 43,000 students enrolled and it's also finals week on campus.

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Olivia Cabadas, a 22-year-old nursing student, was getting ready to take a quiz in the mathematics building when her classmates began getting cellphone alerts. Through a window, they could see students rushing down the hallway.

An officer yelled that everyone should get out.

"It was just a little surreal -- this is actually happening," Cabadas said. "It was chaos."

Those locked down inside classrooms described a nervous calm. Some said they had to rig the doors closed with whatever was at hand because they would not lock.

Umar Rehman, 21, was in a math sciences classroom adjacent to Engineering IV, the building where the shooting took place. The buildings are connected by walkway bridges near the center of the 419-acre campus.

"We kept our eye on the door. We knew that somebody eventually could come," he said, acknowledging the terror he felt.

The door would not lock and those in the room devised a plan to hold it closed using a belt and crowbar, and demand ID from anyone who tried to get in.

Scott Waugh, an executive vice chancellor and provost, said the university would look into concerns about doors that would not lock. Overall, he said, the response was smooth.

Tanya Alam, 19, also was in the same classroom with about 20 other students. She said she saw an alert on her phone that warned of police activity near Engineering IV. Then, several minutes later, an alert said there was an active shooter.

"I let that sink in. Then I realized there was a shooter on campus and Engineering IV is right here! So I said it out loud," she said.

The teacher's assistant told students to shut their laptops, turned out all the lights and switched off the projector. They were ordered to be quiet and got under their desks. Sitting on the ground, Alam cried.

Students were told to put their phones away, too, but no one did, she said. In the darkened room, the glow of screens illuminated many faces.

"On one hand, yes, this is an emergency. But on the other hand when your mother is calling from miles away ..." Alam said, trailing off.

Their entire classroom was finally allowed to leave. Students were greeted by a phalanx of SWAT team members but were not searched.

SWAT officers cleared occupants one by one at the mathematical sciences building. One man walked out with his hands up and was told to get on his knees. An armed officer searched him and his backpack, then sent him on his way with his hands still in the air.

About two hours after the incident, Beck announced the threat was over.

 

(TM and © Copyright 2016 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2016 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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