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Florida Students Evacuated After Body, Explosives Found

Posted at 9:14 AM, Mar 18, 2013
and last updated 2013-03-18 09:15:55-04

Orlando (CNN) — A body with a self-inflicted gunshot wound was found along with a bag of explosives in a dormitory room at the University of Central Florida early Monday, prompting officials to cancel classes at the main Orlando campus until at least noon, a school spokesman said.

Police made the discovery shortly after 12:20 a.m., after a fire alarm sounded at the Tower 1 dorm and someone called 911 about a person with a gun there, school spokesman Grant Heston said. Officers entered the dorm and found a male dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a bedroom, Heston said.

Police also found a handgun, an assault weapon and a bag of improvised explosive devices in the room, Heston said. An Orange County bomb squad is assessing the devices, and the FBI has been contacted, he said.

The dorm, home to about 500 students, was evacuated.

“Out of an abundance of caution for the campus community, the towers remain closed, the garage adjacent to it is closed, and we canceled classes until at least noon today,” Heston said Monday morning.

Heston didn’t say whether the dead person was a student, or release a name.

UCF has more than 59,000 students at its main campus and 10 regional campuses, according to the school.