ORLANDO, Fla. — UCF’s director of counseling services was available in the student union Friday for students who were concerned about Thursday’s incident when police say an armed man threatened a Lynx bus driver on campus.

“After yesterday’s incident, we are here to support our students and that they are doing OK emotionally,” said Dr. Karen Hofmann, director of UCF Counseling & Psychological Services.

Hofmann has been providing counseling services to individuals for the past 30 years.

“Things like yesterday are happening in the world. And we want our students to know that we see them, we hear them, and that the emotional trauma can be triggered,” Hofmann said.

Rafaela Varela, a freshman at the University of Central Florida, says she’s never experienced something like this before.

“As an international student, my parents were concerned about the situation, and they told me to come here,” Varela said.

She is from Peru and is majoring in biology. She said last night’s incident and shelter in place alert does not happen in her country, and she was concerned.

“This would be very unusual where I’m from,” Varela said.

She said she felt better after talking to professionals and meeting a service dog law enforcement brought to interact with students.

“There is no obligation to be here. It’s simply a space to say if you want to be with others, we will be ready to receive you,” Adrienne Frame, Ed.D./UCF Vice President of Student Success and Well-Being said. 

Campus police locked down the campus Thursday night and were able to apprehend the suspect with local law enforcement.

Counselors say that people often turn to them for help days or even weeks after an incident, like the one Thursday night.

UCF says anyone can call their crisis hotline at any time at 407-823-2811.