Four suspects -- cruising in a late model Volvo -- repeatedly fired a BB-gun on the University of Miami campus on Friday afternoon, forcing authorities to shut down the school for nearly an hour.

The incident proved to be more of an inconvenience than a dangerous threat to those at the campus in Coral Gables, where thousands of students, faculty and others were forced to remain indoors until police could apprehend the suspects and lift a lockdown order.

``The campus is safe and secure and has been reopened,'' UM officials reported at 3:37 p.m. in an advisory posted on its website.

The UM website had issued the original alert at 2:42 p.m. advising all students and faculty to go indoors or remain indoors pending further notice from the University of Miami Police Department.

In a written statement, UM police officials said the four suspects -- two men and two women -- had driven through the area of the Hecht-Stanford Dining Hall and Wellness Center firing ``multiple'' shots from a BB-gun. Authorities did not disclose the names of the four suspects.

No injuries were reported by UM police, but the parent of one UM student said her daughter was slightly injured in Friday's incident.

``I'm just concerned about the safety on campus,'' said the parent, who lives in Pennsylvania but did not want to be identified. ``I know these things happen, but this is the third [incident].''

Students, who were near the end of classes before the Thanksgiving break, were taken aback by the reports of the campus being closed over what seemed a minor incident.

Olga Gomez, a 35-year-old alumnus who was visiting the career center to get help finding a job, was caught at the Hurricane Food Court at the Whiddon University Center during the lockdown.

What was stressing Gomez wasn't the alledged shooter. It was hoping she would get out in time to pick up her 6 and 4-year-old children from school at 5 p.m.

``I'm sure it was nothing major, if it was a BB gun,'' she said.

About 100 students and staff were stuck at the food court, but most seemed bored rather than worried. People were scattered at tables chatting with friends, on laptops. No one seemed anxious, there was no one pacing back and forth.

Jordan Caruso, an 18-year-old freshman, first got a text from his brother, who is also a student, about a shooter on campus at 2:44 p.m. and three minutes later got a text message from the university saying a BB gun was involved in the incident.

His brother found out through the loudspeaker at his dorm that there was a shooting on campus.

``Once it said BB Gun, it wasn't as bad. But I still didn't want to go walking around campus,'' Caruso said.

Anyone with additional information about the alleged crime, including additional victims who have not yet spoken to police, should call UM Police at 305-284-6666. (8-6666 from a campus phone.

Miami Herald staff writer Toluse Olorunnipa contributed to this story.