I just heard this announced on WCHL. The Daily Tar Heel web site has the scoop, in spite of being turned out of their office in the Union:
9:45 p.m., SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15 -- The student union, Davis Library and the Undergraduate Library were evacuated Sunday night due to a bomb threat. The Daily Tar Heel office was also evacuated. According to witness reports, police are informing students to stay away from the Pit. Police came into Davis Library and told Lindy Beyer, assistant night supervisor, that there was a "credible threat." She announced over the intercom that library patrons should evacuate, but did not announce the bomb threat. Beyers said she can not be sure if the library is empty at this time. The police are currently sweeping the Pit with dogs. We will continue to update this story as we get new information.
Obviously, we'll have to wait and see whether this turns out to be as dangerous as it seems. I certainly hope it's a false alarm. Either way it's a test of UNC's emergency response systems, which don't seem to be responding so far, eg: http://AlertCarolina.unc.edu says all systems are normal. They may be waiting for validation of the threat, which was apparently received through an anonymous phone call.
Issues:
Comments
Alert Carolina & WCHL
Apparently WCHL is carrying an interview with Randy Young of UNC Public Safety on the air right now, but I am not near a radio. The Alert Carolina web site (which is also tied in to a cell phone network and the famous sirens) now has this update (and nothing more):
All Clear
Just so folks know: The all-clear was given sometime last night. No bomb was found.
slow to hit send? or slow networks?
As an idle question, I noted from a number of friends that they didn't get a text message on their phone until well after the area was "secured." It seems to me that if a threat is imminent, folks should be notified forthwith. What gives?Were the folks in charge merely slow to hit the send button? Perhaps they deemed it necessary to substantiate the threat first. Okay, "they're" the officials with the most up-to-date information, so I'll buy that reasoning as at least valid.On the other hand, I personally will get text messages hours or days after someone sent it -- and those aren't emergencies or university affiliated. If an emergency message is sent, what kind of duty does the texting service incur to guarantee prompt delivery?Either way, an emergency usually refers to a sudden or immediate risk ... is prompt delivery not a priority? What's the rational, excuse, or problem?
Today's DTH states that the
Today's DTH states that the bomb threat was to the Sociology department chair, Howard Aldrich. You can listen to the 911 recording here.