Shelter in place briefly issued at Harvard after shooting in nearby MBTA station

A shelter-in-place alert was briefly issued at Harvard University following reports of shots fired at a nearby MBTA station. No injuries have been reported.

According to an alert sent to campus phones at 2:46 p.m. on Sunday, Transit Police reported shots fired at the Harvard Square MBTA station, prompting a response from the Cambridge Police Department, Transit Police, Massachusetts State Police, and Harvard University.

The alert instructed individuals to shelter in place and remain inside buildings until further notice.

A follow-up message sent around 3:20 p.m. confirmed that the search had concluded and the shelter-in-place order was lifted.

Witnesses told The Harvard Crimson they heard three to four shots while waiting at the Harvard Square station. A male suspect was seen fleeing toward Brattle Street while holding what appeared to be a handgun.

At 2:25 p.m., the MBTA reported 15-minute delays due to police activity. By 2:50 p.m., shuttle buses were replacing train service between Central and Alewife stations as the police investigation continued.

The circumstances surrounding the incident remain unclear, and it was not immediately known if a suspect had been apprehended. There have been no reports of injuries. Authorities have not released further details.