Macomb, IL – Tanner Hall on Western Illinois University's Macomb campus was evacuated after someone phoned in a bomb threat at around 1:15pm, Thursday, November 4. It was the second bomb threat at the residence hall in the past two weeks.
Students were allowed back into the building late in the afternoon after the scene was cleared by investigators.
The university reports the hall clerk notified the Office of Public Safety after the November 4 threat and the building was immediately evacuated. Western's Emergency Alert System was activated to notify faculty, staff, and students of the threat.
The Secretary of State Bomb Squad and a specially-trained canine from the Adams County Sheriff's Department were called in to assist with the investigation.
"We intend to investigate this incident, and the university will prosecute the individual responsible to the fullest extent of the law," said WIU President Al Goldfarb.
Approximately 800 freshmen live at Tanner Hall.
Classes and events were held as scheduled on the campus.
The university said people with information leading to an arrest might be eligible to receive Western's Stop the Threat Fund through the WIU Foundation, which includes a $2,500 reward to date ($2,000 has been donated to the fund by President Goldfarb and Vice President for Student Services Garry Johnson). The fund was established in March 2009 in response to two previous unfounded threats.
The other recent bomb threat at Tanner Hall happened on October 25. That threat was called in to the clerk's office during the late afternoon hours. The building was evacuated, and a student was arrested.
He was suspended from WIU and might face expulsion.
Thanks to University Relations for information in this story.