Afternoon scare

Reported bomb threat at SUNY Fredonia unfounded

OBSERVER photo by Jimmy McCarthy A bomb threat evacuated SUNY Fredonia’s Thompson Hall on Tuesday afternoon. The threat was revealed to be unfounded after K-9 units searched the building.

A bomb threat reported Tuesday afternoon halted the studies and school work for students inside Thompson Hall at the State University of New York at Fredonia.

A subsequent search by police revealed the threat to be unfounded, according to school officials.

Various law enforcement agencies responded to the scene around 1 p.m. as students and staff were instructed to evacuate the building. A search by several K-9 units inside the building began at 2 p.m. and lasted for a little more than an hour.

A perimeter was set up around the building by University Police, New York State Police and Fredonia Police to keep students away as the investigation initiated.

With the evacuation, students and staff had to leave their personal belongings inside the building. Students came back to the vicinity during the investigation to inquire about the incident and to see whether they could get their bags, phones and other belongings.

Classes were canceled for the afternoon, but they resumed at 5 p.m. Students and staff were allowed to go back in and gather their belongings just after 3:30 p.m.

K-9 units from Chautauqua, Cattaraugus and Erie counties assisted in the building search. A K-9 unit from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was also on hand. The Fredonia Fire Department was also at the scene on standby.

Officials didn’t say where the bomb threat was specifically located other than it was inside the building.

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