University officials announced shortly after 6:30 p.m., nearly 7 hours later, that all Residential Life facilities have been cleared for students to come back to campus.
University and state law enforcement officials said in a press conference Monday afternoon they did not have any updates on the investigation or when campus would be reopened for students.
“Campus buildings are being searched, and as they are deemed ready to return to normal operation, they will be reopened,” LSUPD Capt. Corey Lalonde said.
LSUPD is working with BRPD, EBR Sheriff’s Office, State Police and the FBI are working with bomb-sniffing dogs to clear buildings, Lalonde said.
Lalonde did not have information on what buildings have been cleared or on how many had been cleared so far, though Evangeline Hall was quickly reopened for students without off-campus transportation to stay, according to University Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard.
Lalonde said he could not speculate on the threatening phone call, the motive behind the threat and whether or not the caller was a man or woman.
Around 11:30 a.m., students cell phones buzzed with emergency text messages from the University, and Middleton Library computer screens blinked with bomb threat warnings.
Students quickly packed their bags and nervous chatter enveloped the airwaves as students filed out of the library through emergency exits.
The mass exodus from campus caused game day-like standstill traffic on Nicolson Drive and Highland Road, and students overflowed at the Tiger Trails bus stops.
The threat — called in to East Baton Rouge Parish 911 Call Center then forwarded to LSUPD — did not specify the location of the alleged bomb, according to University Relations.
“It was a decision to made to protect those who we clearly are responsible…so it was not difficult to say we can’t put anyone at risk,” Interim System President and Chancellor William “Bill” Jenkins said of his decision to evacuate the University.
Biology freshmen Hunter Tadlock was doing homework in the second floor of the library when a student stood up and announced hearing about the threat.
“It was kinda crazy,” she said of the students rushing to get down the stairs.
Mass communication sophomore Andrew Franzella said the situation was “surreal” as he exited the massive Cox Auditorium, which can seat nearly 1,000 students.
Maddy Ford, a mass communication sophomore, sat in the library when students were alerted.
“I don’t know if it was real, but it was creepy,” she said. “I just felt like I better get out.”
The University’s bomb threat comes just three days after phony bomb threats were called in at the University of Texas University of Texas at Austin, North Dakota State University and much-smaller Hiram College in northeast Ohio.
Anyone with information should contact LSU PD at 225-578-3231.
