GROTON, CT (WFSB) -
Connecticut State Police have identified the man who killed himself at the University of Connecticut's Avery Point campus after a standoff that began Monday night.
UConn police ordered the evacuation of the campus late Monday night after receiving reports of a man, identified as a Poquonock Bridge firefighter Tim Devine, armed with a handgun somewhere on the campus.
The whole incident began around 5 p.m. Monday when police received word of a man who was armed and despondent, according to Connecticut State Police.
Devine's vehicle was located around 10 p.m. on the Avery Point campus, which forced officials to alert people in the area of the potentially dangerous situation.
Alicia Goncalves is a student and works with Project Oceanology, a summer camp that was in session with at least 50 high school students on the campus when the situation began to unfold.
She said she got a text message late Monday night about a gunman on campus.
"It said, 'UConn police report a male is armed with a handgun on the Avery Point campus. Evacuate campus immediately until further notice,'" she said.
Armed with a gun, Devine, 30, was located by himself, in a remote area of the campus down by the seawall.
They said Devine refused to put the gun down, and was threatening to kill himself.
Police negotiated with Devine for hours until police said he threw his cell phone away. Police said they eventually used beanbags and flashbangs in an attempt to distract him, but it didn't work.
Early this morning, police said, Devine eventually turned the gun on himself.
"It was a very dangerous situation," Connecticut State Police Lt. Paul Vance said. "Our intent at all times is to peacefully disarm the individual and get him the help he needed. Again, to no success."
As for the high school students who were on campus when the situation unfolded, police said they were on the complete opposite side of where the man was, and were never in danger.
Parents were notified of what was taking place, and police locked the building where they were all sleeping.
Police were also stationed outside the building to protect them.
"I was really scared," Goncalves said. "I work with these kids everyday. That was the first thing that popped into my head."
The campus reopened at 8 a.m., and police are continuing to investigate.
Copyright 2012 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
