Wording not preserved
A initial alert message is documented at this point in the sequence, but its exact wording is not preserved in the public record. The public edition displays only confirmed alert text.
CCRI
Man carrying an airsoft-style pistol and knives enters campus; arrested without incident
AI-generated · every claim is source-linkedConfirmed Threat
On March 6, 2025, a 911 call at approximately 12:30 PM EST reported a man threatening someone with a knife on a RIPTA bus heading to CCRI's Lincoln campus. The suspect, 48-year-old Junior Sage, entered campus carrying an airsoft-style pistol and pocket knives. CCRI's initial lockdown alert was mistakenly sent to the Warwick campus, causing widespread confusion. A corrected alert followed two minutes later. Sage was arrested without incident around 1:15 PM EST.
- Alerts
- 4
- Response
- —
- Killed
- —
- Injured
- —
~13,000 students
Official alert policy
Read when and how CCRI says it will use Rave Emergency Alerts (CCRI Alert): summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline
Alert Sequence
4 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim
Some messages in this sequence are documented (their existence, timing, and channel are sourced) but their exact wording is not preserved in the public record. Those entries appear as placeholders; only confirmed text is displayed.
Wording not preserved
A correction message is documented at this point in the sequence, but its exact wording is not preserved in the public record. The public edition displays only confirmed alert text.
ALERT – LINCOLN CAMPUS: Shelter in Place (office, classroom, or other safe place). Close doors/windows. Do NOT leave campus. Wait for additional instructions.
Verbatim formal shelter-in-place order posted to CCRI's official Facebook page at approximately 12:56 PM EST on March 6, 2025, 10 minutes after the misdirected Warwick alert and 8 minutes after the Lincoln correction
Preserves the source's en-dash in the 'ALERT – LINCOLN CAMPUS' prefix and the capitalized 'NOT' for emphasis exactly as posted
Unlike the fragmented earlier texts, this message gave concrete actionable instructions (where to shelter, close doors/windows, do not leave) rather than the generic ALICE run-hide-fight language
Verified verbatimRhode Island Current reporting reproducing the CCRI Facebook all-clear post verbatim: 'ALL CLEAR - CAMPUS: All clear. Law enforcement has determined that the campus is safe. Campus is now open for faculty and staff.'128 chars
ALL CLEAR - CAMPUS: All clear. Law enforcement has determined that the campus is safe. Campus is now open for faculty and staff.
Verbatim all-clear posted to CCRI's Facebook page at approximately 1:30 PM EST, roughly 45 minutes after the initial lockdown
The 'ALL CLEAR - CAMPUS:' prefix and duplicate repetition ('All clear. Law enforcement...') is characteristic of automated mass-notification systems that prepend a category label
A press conference was held at approximately 2:45 PM EST to provide details about the incident and arrest
Context
Background
On March 6, 2025, the Community College of Rhode Island's Lincoln campus was locked down after 48-year-old Junior Sage entered the campus carrying an airsoft-style pistol and two pocket knives. A 911 call at approximately 12:30 PM EST had reported Sage (a 48-year-old from Woonsocket) threatening someone with a knife on a RIPTA Route 54 bus headed to the Lincoln (Flanagan) campus. In a significant communication failure, dispatch activated the ALERTUS lockdown button, and CCRI's initial lockdown alert was mistakenly sent to the Warwick campus at 12:46 PM EST instead of Lincoln, causing confusion at the wrong location. The after-action review found dispatchers 'appeared uncertain and under stress, relaying fragmented and incomplete information.' A corrected alert followed two minutes later. WPRI reported that Sage was arrested without incident around 1:15 PM EST and charged with eight offenses including possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. An after-action report later published found 'significant confusion' and a 'breakdown in communication' during the response. The Valley Breeze and GoLocalProv provided additional local coverage. A CCRI safety report subsequently revealed broader gaps in emergency response procedures.
Analysis
Key Findings
The initial lockdown alert was sent to the wrong campus (Warwick instead of Lincoln), a critical communication failure documented in the after-action report
The correction came just 2 minutes later, but students at both campuses experienced confusion about which location was actually at risk
The after-action report found 'significant confusion' and a 'breakdown in communication', and a subsequent CCRI safety report identified broader gaps in emergency response procedures
Outcome
Junior Sage was arrested and charged with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, carrying a pistol without a license, three counts of felony assault, disorderly conduct, and obstruction. An after-action report revealed significant communication breakdowns.
Provenance
Sources
- News
- News
- News
- News
- News
- News
- Social
Cite this case
Campus Alert Archive. "Community College of Rhode Island: Man carrying an airsoft-style pistol and knives enters campus; arrested without incident." Incident of March 6, 2025. Added April 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/ccri-lincoln-armed-suspect-2025-03-06/
Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.
Tags
armed-personcommunity-collegewrong-campus-alertcommunication-failurerhode-islandafter-action-reportairsoft-pistolripta-bus
Added April 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion