University of Southern California faced a bomb scare: Two library buildings were evacuated, with police intensely investigating a bomb threat; security measures heightened
The University of Southern California (USC) found itself in the midst of another unexpected incident on Sunday afternoon, as a bomb threat was reported at the Leavey and Doheny Memorial Libraries.
According to the Department of Public Safety at USC, they are currently in charge of the investigation. In a social media update posted around 2:45 pm, the university confirmed the incident.
As a precaution, the university urged people to avoid the area. The police have alerted students, staff, and visitors to stay away from the campus while they carry out an inspection. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is not involved in the current USC bomb threat investigation.
The LAPD, however, investigated a similar incident in August, when a suspicious device was found in a storage area in Exposition Park, near the USC campus. Remarkably, no one was injured in that incident, and the LAPD bomb squad later confirmed the device was an inert military ordnance, posing no danger.
One student, speaking to ABC7, initially speculated that the threat might be related to chemicals due to USC's status as a major research facility with several laboratories nearby. However, there is no information about a student giving an interview on ABC7 regarding a bomb threat in the provided search results.
It is worth noting that USC has been the site of incidents involving research materials in the past, causing concern among the community. A similar incident occurred at USC in August, although the details remain unclear.
In the event of an evacuation, people will be asked to go to their building's assembly area and remain at least 300 feet away until it is declared safe to return.
As the investigation continues, the Department of Public Safety at USC is working diligently to ensure the safety of the USC community. Regular updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
