Statement on Lockdown Response
[Garden City, KS] February 19, 2026 -- At 9:13 AM, the Garden City Community College Police Department was alerted to an unconfirmed report of shots fired near the Cafeteria. Following the college’s established active intruder procedures, the campus was placed on lockdown. College employees and students followed protocols to shelter in place and/or evacuate campus to off-site emergency reunification points.
Garden City Community College Police Department, Garden City Police Department, Finney County Sherrif’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, and state parters responded accordingly and cleared the campus to ensure the safety of students and employees. No threats to the students, staff, or campus were discovered. There were no injuries during the event. After a thorough investigation by law enforcement, the college was released from its lockdown.
Schools and daycares in the surrounding area were also placed on lockdown out of an abundance of caution.
The safety of our students and community is of paramount importance. Garden City Community College and the Garden City Police Department take every threat seriously and will continue to partner to ensure the safety of students and staff in the community.
For any additional information, please contact Madilyn Limberg, Executive Director of Marketing and PR at Garden City Community College at (620) 276-0418.
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Garden City Community College exists to produce positive contributors to the economic and social well-being of society.
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