At minimum, one individual has been taken to the hospital and several others are undergoing evaluation after a Naval Academy student inadvertently shot someone, leading to a lockdown on the Maryland campus.

Initially, reports suggested an armed former Naval Academy student opened fire on the Maryland campus near the Bancroft Hall dormitories. 

It later emerged that the shooting was unintentional, with the expelled former student having only issued threats via social media. The shooter manipulated their IP address to suggest they were present on campus.

During the turmoil, a student taking shelter mistakenly perceived a law enforcement officer as a threat and fired at him using a training weapon, prompting the officer to return fire, NBC News reported.

Officials on the scene confirmed to The Daily Mail that the shooting was accidental.  The student has been hospitalized and expected to recover 

The New York Times reported that an email was sent out to students with a warning at 5:32pm: ‘Get inside and lock your door right now. Not a drill. Get inside and lock your door.’

Bancroft houses midshipmen in its more than 1,600 dorm rooms. It is considered the biggest single college dormitory in the world, according to the school’s website.

The Naval Academy announced the lockdown Thursday evening, as local police conducted a search.  

‘Naval Support Activity Annapolis, in coordination with local law enforcement, is currently responding to reports of threats made to the Naval Academy,’ a Naval Academy spokesperson told The Daily Mail in a statement.

‘The base is on lockdown out of an abundance of caution. This is a developing situation, and we will provide updates as they become available.’

Students, staff and faculty members have all been advised to shelter in place. A small group heading into the facility to watch a soccer practice were turned away. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Pentagon and Annapolis police for further comment. 

The lockdown continues a wave of campus threats continue in the wake of the assassination of influencer Charlie Kirk. 

Shots were reportedly fired at the University of Massachusetts in Boston on Thursday afternoon, prompting panic, evacuations and a massive police response before the all clear was declared.

‘Police have reported the incident on campus all clear. There is no ongoing threat to the community,’ the university said in an update on X just before 5:15pm after more than 90 minutes of uncertainty and confusion.

The incident began around 3.45 pm, when gunfire was reported near Morrissey Boulevard, according to Boston Police.

Dozens of students and staff were seen fleeing for their lives at the school’s campus in Dorchester, the Boston Police Department told WCVB.

UMass Boston initially posted on X that the incident took place at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. Subsequent campus alerts warned of a ‘public safety threat’ in or near a residence hall at the school’s East Building. 

SWAT teams rushed to the dorm building, as people were urged to avoid the area. 

Sky5 footage showed students and staff evacuating a campus building with their hands raised, as officers armed with rifles swarmed the area. 

Earlier in the day, ominous terror threats have swept across five HBCU campuses, prompting four to be put on lockdown.

Alabama State University shut down all campus operations Thursday morning due to a ‘terrorist threat,’  the school told WSFA 12 News.  Specific details of the reported threat are not yet clear.

‘We are working in close coordination with the appropriate law enforcement agencies to assess the situation and to ensure the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff, and the broader ASU community,’ a spokesperson for the southern university said. ‘The safety of our Hornet family is our highest priority.’  

Threats have also been made against Hampton University, Virginia State University, Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Florida’s Bethune-Cookman University, officials said. 

Virginia State, Southern University and A&M College and Bethune-Cookman University are on lockdown while Hampton University has canceled classes and activities. 

All five schools are Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs).

Meanwhile, a shelter-in-place order was also issued for Stockton University’s Galloway campus in New Jersey on Thursday afternoon as police investigated an off-campus shooting.

The frightening reports come just a day after conservative activist Charlie Kirk, 31, was fatally shot at Utah Valley University. 

Horror unfolded Wednesday when Kirk, a father-of-two, was shot in the neck while speaking at a rally at Utah Valley University. He was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. 

Two men were briefly taken into custody after the shooting, but investigators later confirmed they were not suspects and released them. 

On Thursday, the FBI released a photo of an unnamed ‘person of interest.’ 

The image showed an unknown male donning a black long-sleeve with an American flag on it and black sunglasses. 

The FBI Salt Lake City office has asked for the public’s help identifying him by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.

This is a developing story.