On Friday, September 19th, Public Safety sent out three announcements regarding a heavy police presence on campus. Students spent time speculating on the cause, but not many were very sure what was happening at the Wolak Library Learning Commons.
An officer at the scene, who requested to remain anonymous, confirmed that a bomb threat had been submitted via email earlier in the day. While police and campus administration did not believe the threat to be credible, a sweep of the area was still required. After conducting their due diligence, authorities determined that nothing was found and it was safe for students and staff to return to the building. The officer noted that, had the threat been considered credible, law enforcement would have likely ordered a larger evacuation and utilized machines in place of their specially trained dogs.
One student, Evan Duchette ’29, was working in the Wolak Library Learning Commons at the time of the evacuation. He said, “I was working at the IT desk and someone from public safety came in, told us to pack up all of our stuff and get out of the building quickly… They then brought in a canine to search the building while we sat outside” (Duchette ’29). It is presumed that the university will send out a statement regarding the issue now that the local police department has given the all-clear.
Students have no reason to be concerned about the incident, as it was handled promptly and was likely never a genuine threat to the campus community. However, potential threats such as this can unsettle both students and staff, and individuals are encouraged to reach out to the campus Wellness Center if support is needed.
For any more questions or inquiries, please reach out to Public Safety: (603) 645 – 9700
For support, contact the Wellness Center: (603) 645 – 9679
