A security guard stands at a doorway while students stand and wait after an MATC building at the southeast corner of W. Highland Ave. and N. 8th St. was been locked down Thursday because of reports of a man with a gun outside the building. The lockdown was lifted after about three hours. Credit: Mike De Sisti

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A Milwaukee Area Technical College building at the southeast corner of W. Highland Ave. and N. 8th St. has been give the "all clear" after being locked down Thursday morning.

Police were called at 9:48 a.m. to Building C on the MATC campus after the school's public safety officers received a report of a man outside the building with a gun.

Thursday, Oct. 9 - 11:40 AM C Building on MKE Campus in lock down. More information will be shared as situation develops — MATC (Milwaukee) (@DiscoverMATC) October 9, 2014

Milwaukee Police are working with @DiscoverMATC for a report of a person with a gun that may have entered a campus building. — Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) October 9, 2014

Email and text alerts were sent to students informing them the building was locked down and to stay away from that site, spokeswoman Kathleen Hohl said.

At 12:25 p.m., school loudspeakers announced "all clear" and "the emergency has passed."

Hohl said police swept through the building but found nothing. They determined that the area was safe and that staff and students could resume normal activities.

The lockdown at @DiscoverMATC has been lifted. MPD has completed its search and no subject with a gun has been found. — Milwaukee Police (@MilwaukeePolice) October 9, 2014

The lock-down occurred while 129 new citizens were being sworn in at the school's Cooley Auditorium.

Those ceremonies proceeded, with most people in the auditorium unaware of what was taking place.

Crocker Stephenson of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report.