The University of Illinois Police Department, along with the Champaign Police Department, responded Monday at 1:30 p.m. to an individual’s emergency call at Temple Hoyne Buell Hall, 611 E. Lorado Taft Dr., in Champaign.

The witness stated that there was an armed subject in the vicinity. The UIPD was first on the scene followed by the CPD.

Once on the scene, the witness pointed out who the armed individual was and police officers proceeded accordingly, asking the individual to get on the ground and hand over the weapon. 

“The subject immediately complied and was detained,” said Deputy Chief Skip Frost. 

He was taken into police custody and the weapon turned out to be a fake plastic handgun that was being used by the student in a film they were producing.

Frost said that the fake plastic gun was misleading because it had the orange tip colored off.

The UIPD “was responding to what they believed to be a lethal threat,” Frost said.

 There were a total of four individuals who were detained. No charges have been filed, but the matter has been forwarded to student discipline officials at the University.