Students crowded around the entrance to the Matador Bookstore Complex due to a false fire alarm Monday afternoon.

As a safety precaution, students were evacuated from the bookstore while staff workers investigated the cause of the alarm. Shortly following the investigation, the staff determined that the alarm was false and students were allowed to re-enter the bookstore.

Fire alarms and alarms of duress are monitored by campus police 24 hours a day seven days a week, and according to Student Housing rules and regulations, “tampering or damaging fire equipment… or pulling the fire alarm when the cause is unrelated to notification of a fire” can result in either a fine or prosecution.

California Penal Code section 148.4 constitutes tampering with fire protection equipment a crime, and doing such is stated to result in a fine of up to $1,000 as well as jail time.

Bookstore staff said campus police are still investigating who pulled the fire alarm in the bookstore complex.