UCI: Man with gun on campus was retired employee with weapon permit

The man who sparked a campuswide alert by taking a gun to UC Irvine last week is a retired university employee who was legally entitled to carry the concealed weapon, a UCI official said Monday.

According to campus spokeswoman Cathy Lawhon, someone noticed the gun when the man dropped it March 31.

“As he was walking, it fell out of his waistband,” she said. “He picked it up and concealed it in his waistband and kept walking.”

Lawhon said the man was on campus “conducting some business.” She did not elaborate.

Police detained the man but did not arrest him. His name has not been released.

Though the campus has a policy against weapons, “he had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, and as the law currently stands, that means he can carry it onto campus,” Lawhon said.

Nevertheless, the uncommon sight prompted UCI police to issue an alert, providing a description of the man and warning that he had a gun. Officials locked down the campus, including the theater where the new chancellor was being installed.

After hearing about the alert, the man contacted police, Lawhon said.

Police gave the all-clear about a half-hour after issuing the alert.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck