Police have placed the University of Maryland on lockdown after a report of a gunman on the campus near the Ritchie Coliseum.

Police say students spotted a man walking around with what appeared to be a long rifle or an AR-15, and students have been advised to avoid the area.

UPDATE 3:05 p.m.: The area has been cleared. University of Maryland Police have issued an alert at around 3 p.m. saying that the man turned out to be an off-duty member of the military who was walking around with a rifle. His identification was verified and he was deemed to be no threat. UMD Police have called a meeting with the military to prevent this situation from happening again.