Suspect With Warrants Found In Girlfriend’s Dorm On College Campus In Bethany

Southwestern Christian University was on lockdown Monday after the campus security learned a possible fugitive on campus.

Zachariah Larry was wanted in Pontotoc County and Texarkana, Texas for violent crimes.

Bethany police were notified about the situation around 11 a.m. Monday.

“We received information from the Southwest Christian campus security that they possibly had a subject on campus that had felony warrants,” Bethany Police Department chief John Reid said.

Reid said those warrants were out for 22-year-old Zachariah Larry.

Related: Bethany Police Identifies Suspect Arrested At University Campus

“The warrants are out of Pontotoc County for robbery by force and fear,” Reid said. “Then he's also got some warrants out of Texarkana, Texas for some violent crimes.”

Reid said Larry was found hiding in his girlfriend’s dorm.

“When we found him, he did not resist and he did not have any weapons around him,” Reid said.

Larry was booked into the Oklahoma County Detention Center. The girlfriend, who has not been identified, was also detained. She may face at least one complaint for harboring a fugitive. 

Reid said that rumors about the incident began spreading around campus about an active shooter but ensures that Monday’s incident was not an active shooter situation. 

“It was all contained to that dormitory on the Southwest campus,” Reid said.

Southwestern Christian University students said this was an alarming situation, but that they did feel like their safety was the university and law enforcement’s top priority.

“It caught everybody by surprise,” student Darrin Ryan said.

“Everybody was spreading rumors about it through social media, but they got him. We're safe,” student Colby Vestal said.

“We started getting texts about it and emails about it,” student C.J. Young said. “I realized it was pretty serious.”

“Our safety is the No. 1 priority,” said Vestal.