Christian Thomas, Staff Writer with MSU Spokesman
Classes remain scheduled and the Earl S. Richardson Library reopened Tuesday afternoon after a bomb threat momentarily closed the building and brought a heavy police presence to Morgan State University campus.
The university’s police department received an email at 10:16 a.m. with an “explicit threat” of a possible explosive device planted in the library, according to Larry Jones, assistant vice president for public relations.
The email was discovered at 10:50 a.m., prompting officers to evacuate the building.
Students were first alerted to “stay clear” of the library at 11:31 a.m. via text message and two followed-up emails.
Tuesday’s threat came just five days from the start of the university’s homecoming week. Students said they expect tighter security presence, especially after the university announced measures such as an early curfew to ensure a safe week.
“I feel like there’s going to be more precautions taken to make sure that we have a safe homecoming,” said senior Chinosso Nmaka.
Police blocked off a 500-foot perimeter around the library with yellow tape and redirected foot traffic from the paths near Tyler Hall and Hurt Gymnasium to a walkway behind the gym.
Vehicle traffic on Hillen Road was also shut down from Coldspring Lane to Argonne Drive.
For hours, students and faculty waited for an all clear. Some went home, while others had no choice but to stay.
“My office is in the library,” said Winifred Winston, executive director of Morgan State University’s Dyslexia Association.
Winston, who has been at the university for less than two weeks, was attending a workshop when she learned of the threat.
“When we were packing up to leave, one of the students said, ‘Somebody just called me to see if I was okay. There was a threat to the library,’” said Winston.
She spent hours waiting outside the tape, unable to retrieve her belongings.
“My purse is in there,” said Winston. “It’s not like, ‘Oh, we’re gone for the day, you can leave.’ I can’t do anything, because everything is in there.”
Several K9 units searched the three-floor library before police and university officials deemed the threat not credible.
Nine other schools nationwide received bomb threats Tuesday, including three other HBCUs and neighboring school, Towson University.
The University Union at Towson, just three miles from Morgan’s campus, was evacuated after a similar threat.
Delaware State and Alabama A&M also reported threats.
Tuesday’s incidents follow a series of threats made against Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) less than a month ago.
On Sept. 12, a day after the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, Morgan State, Hampton University, and Howard University were among the schools that received violent threats.
Despite safety concerns and the inconvenience, students at Morgan said they are not fearful on campus.
“Amid all of the political controversy and propaganda going around in the United States, we see a lot of the hysteria being spread, as well as just overall threats being made,” said Michael Yates.
“You see the political climate going down a more extremist hill, so I think that’s the only thing that makes (people) weary,” the musical theatre major senior continued.
Senior Trevon Williams agreed, but said he views the threats differently.
“I feel like a lot of it is false alarms,” said Williams. “People are trying to get a rise out of us.”
Tianna Jameswhite and Danesha Rose contributed to this article.
