The WSU emergency alert warning of gunfire near the Valley Road area on Sunday afternoon was caused by individuals involved in reckless target practice.

"We had report of some gunfire in the area and it appears a group of people who were target practicing," WSU police officer Darren Jones said.

The incident took place outside of city limits in county, north of the Valley Road Playfields, Jones said. The individuals were shooting the direction of the play fields and some of bullets landed on the field.

At 4:21 p.m. a WSU alert was issued, which sent out emails and text messages to students warning them of gunshots in that area. At 5:03 p.m. another alert was issued assuring the community that it was safe.

Jones said the police department received multiple calls reporting the gunfire. One call came from someone in a vehicle near the play fields who had one of their car windows shot out. Other calls came from people who were on the field.

"They were shooting in an unsafe, and perhaps reckless manner," he said.

The WSU Police Department, the Whitman County Sherieff's Office and Pullman police all responded to the calls.

"A lot of people target practice out in the county," he said. "It's not uncommon for people to do that."

He said it is uncommon however for people to practice in that particular area and shoot toward where people might be located.

"You always want to know what your target is and where you're shooting," he said.

Individuals who were engaged in the target practice were contacted by police and the investigation is still ongoing, he said. It is unclear how many individuals were involved however there was more than one person who participated in the target practice.

"No arrest are happening now but the incident is still under investigation," he said.

The important thing is that the community knows that the area is safe and the play fields are open, he said.