Bomb Threat Evacuates Parkland College
An online threat has forced the evacuation of Parkland College. Classes were cancelled for the day shortly after 10 am Thursday. According to the News-Gazette, the following message appeared on Reddit, "Bomb. Parkland College. 11 am." UPDATE - Police gave the all clear late Thursday, and the campus will re-open Friday at 6 a.m.
Lehn said she believed the majority of students and staff had left the campus by 11:00. "We are trying to get our crisis management team together to get an update," she said.
An image grab from Twitter after the threat came in, with the first two replies
Deane Geiken, Parkland's radio station director, said students were notified instantly.
"All students and staff were alerted via text or phone calls to their cells," he said. "(It was) all very orderly though."
Geiken said the text he received did not mention a bomb threat, only that the school was closing for the day.
Lehn says the Champaign County Sheriff, City of Decatur, and Secretary of State Police are bringing in bomb squads, and four bomb sniffing dogs will search the campus over the next couple of hours.
Patrons with Parkland’s Child Development Center have been relocated to the Champaign Park District's Eisner Park.
Update at 6 pm Thursday - An e-mail sent out to media said law enforcement completed their search of the Parkland campus, and no bomb was found. The campus remains closed for the evening and will reopen at 6 a.m. Friday.
Anyone with information to share about the origin of the threat is encouraged to contact Champaign County Crime Stoppers at 217-373-TIPS.
Links
- Parkland Looks To Revive Flight School, Boost Small Airlines
- Former Congressman Johnson Preps For Role Of Parkland Trustee
- The Parkland Lady Cobras’ Breakthrough 35-2 Season: Taking It One Win At A Time
- Fifth Pension Lawsuit Filed By U Of I, Parkland Employees
- Parkland Trustees Approve Plan To Operate UI’s Institute Of Aviation