**UPDATE** UNC’s Department of Public Safety has announced that they have made an arrest in conjunction with the bomb threat. A statement released on Alert Carolina at 5:00 pm reads: “The Department of Public Safety has made an arrest in its investigation into threats to campus safety made early Thursday morning on social media. As stated earlier today, there is no threat to the campus at this time. Students, staff, and faculty should go about their normal routines.”
A warning posted Wednesday on the anonymous messaging service Yik Yak had UNC students worried. The message warned of a possible explosion in the Pit on campus at noon, followed by a message posting the address of Columbine high school.
The original post read: “To all my friends, don’t be in the Pit tomorrow at noon. Things will be getting a big explosive.”
Yik Yak is a location-based messaging app that allows users to post without identifying themselves. It’s popular on college campuses around the country. But while messages may appear anonymous, the developers of the app say some information, such as a user’s IP address, will be collected and could be turned over to authorities.
Coming on the heels of a shooting at Florida State University on Wednesday night that left the gunman dead and three students injured, students at UNC took to social media to voice their concerns about school safety and their frustrations with the Alert Carolina warning system.
From Overheard at UNC:
-Why is AlertCarolina not saying something about this? Even if they don’t have it figured out yet they should at least let us know that someone is looking into the issue. We shouldn’t have to rely on social media for all our information about something like this.
-Serious question: should we go to classes in the Pit area around that time, or is it worth emailing professors and staying home? I don’t think you can be too cautious about a bomb threat, or any threat of violence on a college campus, but I wish I had more official info.
From Yik Yak:
-My mother actually told me to skip my chem lab final and stay in my apartment
-Maybe Alert Carolina should start using yik yak. More people would probably read their updates.
This is not the first time the Pit has been targeted for violence. In 2006, Mohammed Taheri-azar drove a rented SUV into the courtyard where students gather, injuring nine people. He was later sentenced to serve up to 33 years in prison on two counts of attempted murder.
Thursday morning, the university released a statement on Alert Carolina to let students know police officers were aware of the threat and investigating it, but officials stressed that with no active threat on campus there was no need to change daily routines.
From Alert Carolina:
11/20/14, 9:30 a.m.
Timely Warning: Police Investigating Social Media Claims; Continue Normal Activity
The Department of Public Safety is aware of and investigating threats to campus safety made overnight on social media.
Police say there is no threat to campus at this time.
The campus is operating under normal conditions. Students, faculty and staff are advised to continue their normal routines.
The Alert Carolina website will be updated as soon as more information is available. It could take hours for police to resolve a situation depending upon the circumstances. Meantime, if you are directed by police or University personnel to take specific action (evacuate a building, stay out of a certain part of campus, go to your residence hall and stay there), please comply immediately.
If you see suspicious activity, call 911. But do not call 911 or the Department of Public Safety merely to ask for information about the current incident. Police phone lines need to be kept open for emergency communications. Anyone with information about this incident should call the Department of Public Safety 919-962-8100.
Students and employees can let their families know they are okay in the event of an emergency while keeping cell phone lines open for emergency calls by using the American Red Cross Safe and Well list. The Safe and Well list is especially helpful in communicating with family members who are outside the emergency area: www.redcross.org/safeandwell.
Students who are in need of medical attention should go to Campus Health Services campushealth.unc.edu) or the UNC Hospitals Emergency Room. Faculty and staff in need of medical attention should go to the UNC Hospitals Emergency Room.
A range of support services for students is available through the Office of the Dean of Students, deanofstudents.unc.edu/.
Counseling Services for students are available at UNC Counseling and Psychological Services, campushealth.unc.edu/caps. For a concern about a coworker, call Employee and Management Relations in Human Resources (hr.unc.edu/employee-management-relations/) or 919-843-3444, or the University’s Employee Assistance Program (services provided by ComPsych 24 hours a day), 877-314-5841.
Questions about sexual assault can be directed to Deputy Title IX Coordinator/Student Complaint Coordinator, Ew Quimbaya-Winship, 919-843-3878.
For community services, call UNC Department of Public Safety Crime Prevention Officer Sgt. Megan Howard, at 919-966-3230.
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