UI explains use of Hawk Alert system

Some University of Iowa students say a campus-wide warning sent out Monday night did more harm than good.

UI police activated the Hawk Alert System after learning of a possible threat made to an Iowa City woman living on Newton Road.

"Police are looking for man reported to have a weapon near campus.  Everyone should remain in their room until further notice," the message read.

The Hawk Alert is a warning system which sends out warning messages on multiple platforms to the University of Iowa community.

"I wish there was more information and it wasn't so abrupt," said UI junior Brooke Evans.

Many student say the lack of detail in the message sent both parents and students into a panic.  Some students were upset after learning the UI sent out the message an hour and a half after Iowa City police took the initial report.

By the time the message was sent at 10:27, the man who made the alleged threat had already driven to and left the Iowa City area.  He was located a short time later in Muscatine, where officers searched him and did not find any weapons.  Iowa City police had been in communication with Muscatine police, the man and the woman, but never directly notified UI police while working on the case.

University spokesman Tom Moore and UI Director of Public Safety Chuck Green both declined a request for an interview on Tuesday.  The UI did send a statement to the media defending their use of the warning system.

"The information indicated a male individual had threatened the safety and well being of a female and himself," the statement read. "The male had a history of violence toward the female and a history of carrying a weapon in his vehicle.  Based on the location of the incident, which was heavily populated by off campus student housing and within yards of several UI buildings, the Hawk Alert was issued at approximately 10:27 p.m. in an effort to mitigate any risk to university students, faculty, and staff."