Campus Alert Archive
UC Berkeley

Seven-Hour Manhunt at Clark Kerr: Gunshots Near the Campus Track Trigger Multi-Agency Lockdown

CAshootingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Under Investigation

On the morning of August 8, 2024, two shots were fired near UC Berkeley's Clark Kerr Track at approximately 7:40 AM PDT, triggering a campus lockdown and a seven-hour multi-agency manhunt involving K-9 units and officers with long guns. The lockdown was lifted at approximately 1:40 PM after police exhausted all search resources without locating the suspect.

Alerts
3
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
University of California, Berkeley
Public R1 · CA
~45,000 studentsWarnMe
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction136 chars
WarnMe: Reports of shots fired near Clark Kerr Campus track. Stay away from Clark Kerr Campus. Police are responding. Updates to follow.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from Berkeley News and Daily Californian coverage
The first WarnMe alert was sent before 8:00 AM PDT on August 8, 2024, after the campus ShotSpotter system detected two shots at 7:40 AM
UC Berkeley's Emergency Operations Center was activated in response to the incident
UPDATEEmail+1 h
Verified verbatimBerkeleyside reporting which quoted the WarnMe alert verbatim182 chars
If you cannot avoid the area of Clark Kerr Campus and Hillside Campus, lockdown or secure in place. It is not safe to be outside in the area of Clark Kerr Campus and Hillside Campus.
Verbatim text confirmed via direct quotation in Berkeleyside reporting from the WarnMe alert issued shortly before 9 a.m. PDT on August 8, 2024
This update was sent shortly before 9:00 AM PDT on August 8, 2024, escalating the response from an advisory to a lockdown order
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded, including UCSF Police, Alameda County Sheriff, Contra Costa County Sheriff, and East Bay Regional Park District Police
ALL CLEAREmail+5h 45m
Verified verbatimBerkeleyside reporting which quoted the final WarnMe alert verbatim206 chars
UCPD and Campus Administration have determined that there is no longer a known threat to campus and normal operations can resume, but we advise community members in the area to continue to exercise caution.
Verbatim text confirmed via direct quotation in Berkeleyside reporting from the final WarnMe alert that lifted the lockdown
The all-clear was issued at approximately 1:40 PM PDT on August 8, 2024, nearly six hours after the initial shots were reported
Multiple police agencies conducted an exhaustive search but the suspect was not apprehended
Context

Background

At approximately 7:40 AM PDT on August 8, 2024, UC Berkeley police responded to reports of two shots fired near Clark Kerr Track on the eastern edge of campus. The campus ShotSpotter system detected the gunfire. A WarnMe alert was distributed shortly before 8:00 AM, and the UC Berkeley Emergency Operations Center was activated. By 9:00 AM, the university escalated the warning to a lockdown order for anyone in the Clark Kerr and Hillside Campus areas. The search expanded to Panoramic Way as multiple law enforcement agencies, including UCSF Police, Alameda County Sheriff's Office, Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, and East Bay Regional Park District Police, joined the manhunt with K-9 units and officers with long guns. The suspect was described by witnesses as a white male wearing a black shirt, black pants, and a red backpack, with bleached hair showing possible red or orange highlights. Cal football postponed its Thursday practice due to the lockdown. After nearly six hours, police concluded the search at approximately 1:40 PM without locating the suspect.
Analysis

Key Findings

The campus ShotSpotter system enabled rapid detection of gunfire, and the first WarnMe alert was distributed within approximately 15 minutes
The search lasted nearly six hours and involved at least five law enforcement agencies, but the suspect was never apprehended
Cal football postponed its Thursday practice due to the lockdown affecting the Clark Kerr area
Outcome
No injuries were reported. The suspect, described as a white male with bleached hair and a red backpack, was never apprehended. The lockdown was lifted at approximately 1:40 PM PDT after an exhaustive search.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Reports of shots fired near Clark Kerr Track and Hill Campus (Berkeley News)
    news.berkeley.edu
  2. News
    Reported gunfire at UC Berkeley: Police search Clark Kerr, Hillside campuses (Berkeleyside)
    berkeleyside.org
  3. Student Paper
    Shots fired near UC Berkeley Clark Kerr Campus (Daily Californian)
    dailycal.org
  4. News
    Gunfire prompts lockdown near UC Berkeley Clark Kerr Campus (Berkeley Scanner)
    berkeleyscanner.com
Tags
shootingcaliforniamanhuntlockdownclark-kerrmulti-agency-responseshotspottersuspect-at-largeUnder Investigation
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion