Campus-wide, a text, a call and an email all conveyed an unnerving message.

“ISU Alert: Report of two possibly armed individuals near building 32 in Frederiksen Court.”

The first Iowa State alert since the news system’s implementation warned students to stay away from the area and residents to stay in their apartments while police investigated. Iowa State engagement officer Anthony Greiter said they were pleased with the timeliness of the news system, a 12-minute response.

A couple hours later, the threat of gunmen on campus resulted in the confiscation of airsoft guns, which police said looked very realistic, and had the regulation orange tip removed, which is illegal.

Police spoke with four suspects, who were cooperative, and confiscated one airsoft rifle and three airsoft handguns. Two Frederiksen Court residents were charged in connection to the incident, one of which is a recently suspended Iowa State football player.

Dallas Taylor-Cortez, a freshman football player, was charged with harassment, a simple misdemeanor. He is one of four players suspended by Coach Matt Campbell who cited multiple instances of poor choices and behavior.

Newton told the Daily that Taylor-Cortez “threatened, intimidated and or alarmed” at least one victim.

“If an officer has a split second to make a decision and there is a very realistic looking gun, that situation can get very bad,” Iowa State Police Chief Michael Newton told the Daily.

President of Iowa State’s Airsoft Club, Tanner Holte, said he knew immediately after hearing about Thursday’s incident that none of their club members were involved. On top of talking about how to be a better and more effective player, education on the rules and requirements on and off campus is emphasized to their members.

“We try to keep people well informed so they can take care of their equipment and themselves on the field,” Holte said. “Members of the club and anyone else are absolutely not allowed to have replica firearms on campus.”

Greiter said it is important to distinguish the difference between the law and campus restrictions. While off-campus it is only required that the regulation orange cap remains on, air soft weapons are forbidden from campus.

Greiter warned that the orange cap still “is not a tell all.”

Carrying guns inside a protective case is also important, Holte said, preferably one that locks.

“You’re making it very clear that your weapon is not a danger to anyone,” Holte said.

Holte started using airsoft guns in middle school, playing in his friends backyards during their free time. His hometown later made public use of airsoft guns illegal, and since none of his friends had secluded backyards, he stopped playing until he started attending Iowa State.

The other student charged is Tyciera Whitaker-Wells, sophomore in early childhood education, for falsely reporting to a public entity. She reported to police the night of the incident that the suspects were near Building 72, later admitting this was to draw attention away from the suspects.

Greiter said the case is ongoing and more charges may be filed.

Similar to an incident a few years ago when a bomb report turned out to be a live action role playing (LARP) prop, he said the police see these situations as training for if the next report involves actual guns.

He said at the end of the day, they did what they were trained to do and no one was hurt.

“We respond as if they were real firearms,” Greiter said. “Through the whole process, we get this experience.”