Harvard University Bomb Threat Leads To Evacuations

Updated on

In breaking news Monday afternoon, Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts has evacuated four buildings on campus due to an unconfirmed bomb threat.

Law enforcement and bomb sniffing and bomb disposal teams have already arrived at Harvard and are searching several buildings.

Three classroom buildings – the Science Center, Sever and Emerson Halls — and one dormitory, Thayer Hall, are currently being searched, according to the latest reports.

An alert message sent out to students and posted on the Harvard website and on Twitter around noon noted that “an unconfirmed bomb threat has been received.”

UPDATE 4:20 PM ET — Law enforcement declared Emerson, Thayer, and Sever Halls safe around four hours after the buildings were initially evacuated and searched early Monday afternoon in response to an emailed bomb threat. Officers are apparently still searching the Science Center.

The Harvard bomb threat mentioned four buildings around Harvard Yard.

Other bomb threats Monday

Of note, Fox Boston is also reporting that a bomb threat was also made at Fitchburg State University in nearby Fitchburg, MA earlier in the day. That incident was declared a hoax however, after police declared the building bomb free.

On Monday, the superintendent of Cambridge Public Schools sent a letter to parents saying that police were investigating an anonymous threat about a plan to bomb “cambridge mass city schools.” The letter noted schools in the district will all see increased security on Monday. There is no confirmation to date that any of the Cambridge-area bomb threats are linked.

Law enforcement authorities across the globe are on high alert Monday in response to the tragic terrorist attacks in Paris over the weekend. ValueWalk is reporting today on the increased terrorist threat in Europe following the ISIS Paris attacks.

Statement on Harvard bomb threat

Katie Lapp, the executive vice president of Harvard, posted online around 2 PM ET that, “As of this writing, nothing to substantiate the emailed threat has been found. Harvard is working with local and federal law enforcement officials to investigate the source of the threat, which has not yet been determined.

“The safety and security of members of the Harvard community is always our top priority. In the wake of recent tragic events in locations ranging from Paris to Beirut and beyond, we understand that this type of threat will cause great anxiety for many across our campuses. We will continue to be vigilant as we carry on Harvard’s mission of expanding and disseminating knowledge.”

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