Suspicious Package Leads to Evacuation at Utah State University
Utah State University was on alert after a suspicious package was discovered, prompting an evacuation just prior to a Turning Point USA event. Students and staff were seen evacuating the old main building while police investigated the situation.
Witnesses reported hearing an explosion as the bomb squad detonated a suspicious device, later confirming that there was no ongoing threat to the university community.
Erin Cox, a journalism professor, shared on social media a video of students leaving the old main building. She noted that law enforcement had brought in a K-9 unit to assist in the evaluation of the package.
Alerts were sent to students urging them to leave the building immediately, utilizing stairs rather than elevators. The evacuation process was clear: gather essential items and follow emergency personnel’s instructions.
Officers announced the explosion with a call of “Fire in the hole,” which added to the tension for those inside the building at the time.
A statement from Utah State Police clarified that the suspicious device was found outside the old main building and indicated that while it was deemed non-explosive, it warranted the response from local law enforcement and the bomb squad. They assured that the area was now secure, and that regular activities could resume.
Interestingly, this event had initially been planned to feature Charlie Kirk, the founder of TPUSA, who was scheduled to speak before being tragically killed recently. Some students had previously organized petitions to prevent him from speaking at Utah State, gathering a small number of signatures. After his death, more petitions emerged to halt future TPUSA events on campus, though they garnered only a handful of signatures.
Kirk’s assassination occurred on September 10 while he was engaging with students during a national tour at Utah Valley University. The situation surrounding his appearances at universities has certainly stirred diverse reactions among students.
