3 students arrested after bomb threat prompts evacuations at ASU's Tempe campus
TEMPE, Ariz. - Three students have been arrested after a bomb threat prompted the evacuation of three buildings on Arizona State University's Tempe campus.
Just before 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 12, ASU Police tweeted that there was a police situation at the MU and Hassayampa Hall. The residence hall was evacuated. Barrett Hall was also evacuated out of precaution.
Students who were evacuated were told to go to the Sun Devil Fitness Center.
Apache Boulevard was shut down in both directions between Rural and McAllister.
Just after 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, all buildings were cleared and no threat was found.
"The process actually went relatively smoothly. The students were very cooperative and made their way over to the Sun Devil Fitness Center – that's where the safe zone was set up at," ASU Police spokesman Adam Wolfe said. "They made their way over there and now they're able to return. The thing that takes time is obviously the search, you gotta go through, you gotta thoroughly search the buildings. Fortunately, we were able to have police K9's from both ASU Police and Tempe here, so the group effort combined to make sure the area was safe and secure."
Police said social media and the Life Safe Emergency Alert Systems were both utilized to keep students and parents updated.
On Wednesday, police said three students were arrested in connection to the bomb threat. The suspects were booked into jail. Their identities were not confirmed.
The incident at ASU comes after multiple students in Arizona were detained in connection to threats made toward schools across the state.