St. Thomas issued an all-clear alert Tuesday morning, following a bomb threat that led the university to temporarily close four buildings and cancel some classes through early afternoon.
After receiving a bomb threat at 7:45 a.m., the Public Safety switchboard received “numerous calls in a row,” according to Public Safety Director Dan Meuwissen.
“Each (call) giving different information and activating our response in a different way, Meuwissen said. “I think it’s very safe to say we were responding to the same number.”
The university decided to close and search the Facilities Design Center, John Roach Center, Anderson Student Center and O’Shaughnessy Science Center. Classes in those buildings were canceled and scheduled to resume at 1:30 p.m.
The university issued its first alert at 8:04 a.m. Tuesday, announcing, “USTALERT At 7:45 today St. Thomas received another generalized bomb threat. No location given. We are actively investigating. More information to follow.”
“I was really hoping to get some homework done today; I’m pretty upset about that,” senior Jordy Chavez-Estrada said.
Students in the math building, which was not evacuated, on South Campus continued class.
“We were having a quiz when I first heard about it, so I let the students finish the quiz, but we didn’t have any word as far as what buildings were evacuated at that time so we just kept going,” math professor Jolene Gleason said.
The St. Paul Police Department and its K9 unit assisted St. Thomas Public Safety in its investigation.
“We were talking to some seminarian students, and they said that they’re just kind of numb to it now, and I totally agree with that,” junior Spencer Hammer said.
This is the third bomb threat St. Thomas has received since last spring. The first threat was five months ago to this day on April 17.
“It’s a little scary, but they keep on having these bomb threats and stuff. You never know what’s going to happen and you’re hoping everyone’s safe,” sophomore Angie Distad said.
Karen Lange, vice president of student affairs, asked people not to call the St. Thomas switchboard in an effort to keep lines clear for emergencies.
The university announced counselors will be in ASC 364-365 for those in need of support. Campus ministry is also available in ASC 207.
The Activities Fair scheduled at noon Tuesday on Monahan Plaza has been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.
Abby Sliva, Kat Barrett, Rachel Torralba, Althea Larson, Samantha Hoanglong and Owen Landrud contributed to this report.