PLYMOUTH – Reports of a gunman walking across campus put Plymouth State University and the nearby Holderness School in a lockdown last night.

By 9:43 p.m., the lockdown was lifted after officials located and talked to the individual, who was not a student, and learned he was carrying a martial arts device that resembled a gun.

Bruce Lyndes, media relations manager for Plymouth State, said several students had reported seeing a man acting "incoherently" walking from the north end of campus to the south around 5:45 p.m. Lyndes said more than one student reported seeing what appeared to be the butt of a handgun sticking out from one of the man's pants pockets.

The university sent out a text alert to students and faculty at 6:48 p.m., warning that a gunman may be on the campus and advising people to stay inside. Officers from Plymouth, New Hampshire State Police and Grafton County Sheriff's Department joined PSU security to comb the campus.

Several downtown businesses usually open at that time of night were reportedly closed.

"Better to be safe than sorry," said Dick Hage, vice president of student affairs. "The information that came through came from multiple students. It wasn't a single student."

A second alert was sent out at 7:27 describing the man as 5-foot-7, wearing a white hooded sweatshirt with white sweat pants and something resembling a bandana on his head.

The text alerts were sent out to students and faculty who signed up for the service. The university decided against sounding a campus-wide alarm siren that would have directed people to go to the closest building.

Lacey Mailman, a freshman from Freedom, said she was in class in Hyde Hall when the first alert was received. She said her teacher called campus security and was told to keep students in class.

"I think it was absolutely real," Mailman said of the threat. "There are police officers everywhere."

Mailman said the teacher turned off the lights in the classroom and everyone was told to stay away from the doorway and windows. She said some students used the time to call their parents.

Mailman said the students were allowed to leave the classroom around 8:40 p.m., and were told to head straight to their dorm rooms. Hage said there are 2,500 students living on campus.

Chantal Cote, a PSU student who works at the Hartman Union Building, said her mother was worried, but she said she told her mom that she has "complete confidence that I am safe."

An audience of about 75 had gathered to hear visiting lecturer Stephen Zunes speak about military and economic aid to Israel inside the Smith Recital Hall in the Silver Center for the Arts. They were not allowed to leave the hall during the lockdown.

Not everyone took the warning as seriously. Nick Krycki of Epsom decided to keep skateboarding with two other students near the D&M Building as police searched cars nearby.

"It's upsetting because they didn't give us enough info," Krycki said.

The nearby Holderness School was in full lockdown for almost two hours. The private day and boarding school of 280 students allowed students back to their rooms around 9 p.m. Day students were escorted by security to a designated area where they could be picked up by their parents.