UA receives bomb threat

The Auburn Science and Engineering Center closed Wednesday morning because of a bomb threat. It reopened at 1p.m.

The threat was sent via e-mail to an assistant dean of the College of Engineering. It was received at approximately 8 a.m. A special edition ZipMail was sent our shortly after, notifying students.

"We are trying to trace the e-mail but that's all under investigation," said University of Akron Police Chief Paul Callahan. "Basically, they said there was a device in the building."

He explained they do not want to release too much information in case this incident is something bigger and connected to more universities.

According to Ken Torisky, senior public relations representative, the e-mail did say no one should attempt to touch or move the device.

The university updated students regularly throughout the day through ZipMail messages.

Each ZipMail informed students that all other buildings were remaining open.

The dean of the college of engineering, George Haritos, said he had not heard about it until his way in to work.

"I was driving to work and I tried to call my office a little after 8 a.m. and my administrative assistant called me from his cell phone in the Student Union," said Haritos. "By the time I was parked, it was 8:15 a.m. and the building was cordoned off and I went straight to the Student Union and found some of my colleagues."

The building was originally expected to reopen at noon however, this was delayed until approximately 1 p.m. Classes resumed at 4 p.m.

This is not the first time UA has received a bomb threat.

"We had one in Simmons hall a couple years ago and we basically did the same thing," Callahan said. "That was not an e-mail, it was a threat scribbled on a bathroom stall."

In both the Simmons Hall case and the Auburn Science Center Case Wednesday, the threats turned out to be false alarms.