Students at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville were ordered to shelter in place late Monday afternoon, with reports from police of an “emergency situation” focused on the Wilgus Hall dormitory.
The order was lifted at about 5 p.m.
But details of what led to the order and what caused the evacuation of the 230 students who live in Wilgus Hall are still unknown.
Stay connected to Wisconsin news — your way
Get trustworthy reporting and unique local stories from WPR delivered directly to your inbox.
UW-Platteville officials held a brief press conference Monday night.
Joseph Hallman, chief of the UW-Platteville Police Department, would only say a person was “transported.”
Hallman said the situation was isolated and there was “no active threat to the community.”
“I’m not deliberately being vague,” Hallman said. “We want to make sure we get it right and protect the privacy of the individuals involved with this.”
UW-Platteville officials are working with the state crime lab, Grant County and the city. Counseling services have been made available to students.
The university held its graduation ceremony Saturday. But final exams have been cancelled for the rest of the week on both the Platteville and Baraboo campuses.
“We are a close-knit community,” said Laura Reynolds, provost and vice chancellor of student affairs. “Both the faculty and staff as well as the students need time to be together. They need time to work through this together. We are deeply saddened, and know this event has negative impact on our Pioneers, and we know students will want to be able to focus on their own well-being and spend time with friends and families.”
UW-Platteville is located in Grant County. It has a total enrollment of about 6,391 students.
Wisconsin Public Radio, © Copyright 2025, Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System and Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
