Classes will resume Monday morning at the University of Texas at Austin campus after the area was evacuated on Friday, and all classes were canceled for the day, after a man called in a bomb threat to the university.
Thousands of students and staff were told to leave the buildings and get as far away as possible.
According to UT Officials, the university received a call to its main number threatening several buildings. Officials said a man with a "middle eastern" accent, claiming to be affiliated with Al Qaeda said that he had placed several bombs around the campus. The caller said the bombs would go off in 90 minutes.
University officials worked with federal and governmental authorities to determine the validity of the threats. A little before 9:30 a.m. the decision was made to evacuate the buildings. Students and staff were notified via text messages, sirens on campus, through social media, the university's web site, and flat screen televisions in buildings. Officials said the text message alerts went out to approximately 67,000 people.
University of Texas President Bill Powers said the threat was not specific so they made the decision to evacuate all the buildings. He added that the buildings had been cleared by the time the threat was supposed to have taken place.
University of Texas Police worked with local and federal law enforcement to evaluate the threat. Canine officers were called in to search the buildings.
Powers stated at a press conference just after noon that officials were sure through a variety of sources that campus is safe.
The caller has not been identified and he is not in custody.
The university opened all buildings at noon on Friday, and all activities, except for classes, resumed after 5:00 p.m. Powers stated that even though the campus was safe enough to resume classes, the decision was made to cancel them due to the logistical problem of getting students who had left the area to return to class.
Sunday, May 19 2013 12:24 AM EDT2013-05-19 04:24:33 GMT
Officials in Connecticut say it was amazing that there were no fatalities or more injuries after two Metro-North trains collided around 6 p.m. in Fairfield Friday evening.
Officials in Connecticut say it was amazing that there were no fatalities or more injuries after two Metro-North trains collided around 6 p.m. in Fairfield Friday evening.
Sunday, May 19 2013 12:13 AM EDT2013-05-19 04:13:53 GMT
The NYPD says a 14-year-old girl was shot and killed on a Queens MTA bus Saturday night. The incident happened around 8:50 p.m. on board the Q-6 bus on Sutphin Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard
The NYPD says a 14-year-old girl was shot and killed on a Queens MTA bus Saturday night. The incident happened around 8:50 p.m. on board the Q-6 bus on Sutphin Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard
Sunday, May 19 2013 12:05 AM EDT2013-05-19 04:05:15 GMT
Authorities say one person is dead and another was injured when the vehicle they were in ran off the road and crashed into Huntington harbor on Long Island Saturday evening.
Authorities say one person is dead and another was injured when the vehicle they were in ran off the road and crashed into Huntington harbor on Long Island Saturday evening.
Saturday, May 18 2013 10:14 PM EDT2013-05-19 02:14:35 GMT
An airline official says a US Airways flight with 34 people aboard was forced to make a belly landing at Newark International Airport after experiencing landing gear trouble. No injuries were reported.
An airline official says a US Airways flight with 34 people aboard was forced to make a belly landing at Newark International Airport after experiencing landing gear trouble. No injuries were reported.
Saturday, May 18 2013 8:33 PM EDT2013-05-19 00:33:09 GMT
A 12-year-old boy was shot and killed and his father was wounded on a Jersey City street Friday night. Police say Gywan Levine Jr. and his father, Gywan Levine Sr., were walking on Rutgers Avenue
A 12-year-old boy was shot and killed and his father was wounded on a Jersey City street Friday night. Police say Gywan Levine Jr. and his father, Gywan Levine Sr., were walking on Rutgers Avenue
Saturday, May 18 2013 6:52 PM EDT2013-05-18 22:52:45 GMT
A large crowd of supporters in the Bronx joined the parents of a slain teen to protest a judge's ruling Saturday. Constance Malcolm and Francelot Graham whose son Ramarley was killed back in February
A large crowd of supporters in the Bronx joined the parents of a slain teen to protest a judge's ruling Saturday. Constance Malcolm and Francelot Graham whose son Ramarley was killed back in February
Courtesy Jenn Cowan
