East Lansing was on high alert Thursday evening as Michigan State University Police and Public Safety responded to a bomb and weapons threat that turned out to be a hoax. The false alarm, involving threats to multiple campus locations, was reported via a call received by the department, and subsequently investigated by local authorities and the FBI.
Despite the serious nature of the call, officials were skeptical about its credibility from the start, however, the police still followed protocol and inspected the targeted sites including the Main Library, Brody neighborhood, Hannah Administration Building, and Abbot Hall, the call that had stirred the commotion was later dismissed as not being credible leading police and the FBI to confirm it as non-threatening. To avoid unnecessary panic, no emergency alerts were sent out to the student body due to the call originating from a number with "a history of doing hoax phone calls," as MSUPD spokesperson Dana Whyte disclosed in a statement obtained by The State News.
"It has been confirmed by both our department and the FBI that this call was a hoax,” MSU Police said, as per WWJ Newsradio 950, providing immediate relief to the community. The swift response from officers and assisting agencies was praised for their efficiency in validating the safety of the campus environment, the statement further detailed the situation as reported by The Detroit News.
Despite the initial disruption caused by the hoax call, the MSU campus life quickly returned to its regular rhythm with the assurance from MSU Police that “There is NO danger or threat to the community,” a sentiment echoed through the university’s communications and confirmed by authorities indicated in a report by WWJ Newsradio 950. The incident highlights the ongoing concerns and measures taken to ensure safety in academic institutions, reaffirming the vigilance of law enforcement in the face of potential threats, even as this particular case was ultimately deemed a fabricated crisis.
