Shots Fired Near Cal U's Campus Lead To SWAT Situation

CALIFORNIA, Pa. (KDKA) - A man is in custody after shots fired led to a SWAT standoff near Cal U's campus.

An alert went out Wednesday morning saying that police were investigating shots fired near the corner of Third and Union streets around 9:20 a.m.

The university says campus and borough police cordoned off a two-block area near that area.

According to the Washington County District Attorney, the suspect went into an apartment building nearby and wouldn't come out so officers from multiple agencies and the SWAT team were called in. The SWAT situation went on for hours and eventually, the DA says the man surrendered to police.

One student who lives in the apartment where the standoff was going on woke up startled.

"I heard banging at my door this morning from a friend checking if I was alive and okay. I was dead asleep. I was told about an hour or so later, 'you need to get out of the apartment,' so I fled," said Cal U grad student Becca.

A student who lives across the street from the apartment where the standoff was happening says she was startled to see a large presence outside when she left for class.

"When I came out to leave for class there were cops everywhere. The whole street was shut down and they were questioning me why I was trying to leave my apartment. They told me to make it quick, to get out of the area as fast as I could," said Cal U Junior Chloe Payton.

No one was injured and the suspect, Zachary Hooks, was taken into custody. He's been charged with criminal attempted homicide, aggravated assault and recklessly endangering another person.

The DA says there weren't any warrants out for his arrest.

Around 2:30, the university said the threat had been resolved.

Borough police and the Washington County District Attorney's office are continuing to investigate.