UPDATE: Person Who Reported Being Robbed on Campus at KnifePoint May Face Charges

The person who told police they were could wind up being the only criminal in the case.

The university issued a statement Tuesday morning that said "after further investigation of the armed robbery that was reported on Sunday, Feb. 20, the Kent State University Police have determined that it was unfounded, and that there was no robbery."

Kent State spokesperson Emily Vincent said "the person recanted their story" to police. Vincent said police are now considering charging that person with making a false claim to authorities.

"At this time, the person is an uncharged suspect,” she said.

The university would not release the person's name or identify whether or not they are a student at Kent State. Police radio traffic during the investigation Sunday night indicated the person is a woman.

The person reported being robbed at knifepoint shortly after 9 p.m. Sunday in the R-6 lot off Eastway Drive, near Manchester Hall, behind the Kent State Library. She told police two white males threatened her with a knife, took her wallet and fled the scene.

The report prompted a campus search for the suspects by police that lasted almost two hours. The university also issued a “campus safety warning” alert regarding the robbery through the Flashline notification system just after 11 p.m. Sunday. And on Monday, the university announced the extension of hours for campus security aides to escort students and staff walking campus late at night.

Vincent said the security escorts will continue the extended hours through spring break.

"They just announced it Monday because we were reacting to the initial report from Sunday," she said. “They will continue. It’s unfortunate that this reported incident which we now know did not happen has made some students and parents question the safety of the university, when we have a high safety rating.”

The student security aides are available to provide escorts across campus daily from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m. and are available by dialing 2-7004 on any campus telephone.

Last year, Kent State ranked among the safest college campuses in Ohio, based on FBI uniform crime statistics from 2009. Kent State ranked first among public universities in Ohio, and among the 450 colleges and universities surveyed nationwide Kent State placed 157th overall.

The false alarm follows a gunpoint robbery on campus earlier this month and two burglaries that occurred last month in a campus residence hall.

The occurred Feb. 5 in the parking lot of the now-closed Harbourt Hall near the Kent State Ice Arena. with using a handgun to rob two Kent State students.