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news
Bomb scares plague
campus, Long Beach
By Jamie Rogers
Online Forty-Niner
The Long Beach
Police Department responded to numerous bomb threats Tuesday
following terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center in New
York and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
Long Beach police
declared a stage two tactical alert to deal with any emergencies
the city may face, said Sgt. Steve Filippini.
The police requested
the graveyard shift staff remain on duty until approximately
11:30 that morning. A command post was set up, with several
teams scattered throughout the city, prepared to respond should
a crisis arise.
"Several bomb
threats have been made over the phone," Filippini said.
"Nothing has come of them. These are just people who
don't have a life."
One threat was
made to Marshal Middle School, 5870 East Wardlow Road.
"We did not
close any schools," said Joni Parish, security communications
officer for Long Beach Unified School District. "There
was a bomb threat at Marshall Middle School but it turned
out to be a false alarm. It was bit hectic this morning but
now it has calmed down."
The Arco Towers
and the Renaissance Hotel were also subjected to threats.
"Right now
we are at the wait and see stage," Filippini said. "The
emergency operating center is working with the Fire Department
and county wide agencies. We are working together to support
each other and can respond to assist each other."
The Sheriff's bomb
squad and LBPD assisted University Police in response to a
suspicious vehicle noticed at Cal State Long Beach, according
to Filippini.
"The sheriff's
bomb squad evaluated the scene and found it was nothing,"
Filippini said. The vehicle was spotted in Lot 3 in front
of Brotman Hall. The building was evacuated and the area kept
clear of students and faculty.
Shortly after,
all California State Universities were ordered to cancel classes.
At CSULB, University Police and campus officials urged students
to return to their homes.
"I went to
get coffee and was just chewing on my bagel when my teacher
told me there was no class," said Toni Fitz-Gerald, senior
art education major.
Other students
were told by police over loudspeakers to leave campus. Many
students said they believed they were being evacuated.
"They said
campus is closed until further notice," said Marcie Saenz,
junior broadcast journalism major. "They said we had
to evacuate."
Colleen Bentley-Adler,
director of public affairs for CSU, said all 23 CSU campuses
were closed after the chancellor and several university presidents
met to decide the best course of action.
"[Tuesday
and Wednesday] we were supposed to have a Board of Trustees
meeting," Bentley-Adler said. "So several presidents
and trustees were already here [at the Chancellor's Office].
We closed the CSU classes primarily for safety concerns and
because this event is on everybody's mind. We deemed it best
to close classes."
Bentley-Adler stressed
that while classes were cancelled at the CSU's, the campuses
themselves remained opened. At approximately 1:00 Tuesday
afternoon, she said she was only aware that Brotman Hall was
evacuated at CSULB. She said she had not heard that the whole
campus was closed. After the campus was emptied of students,
however, signs were posted in front of the entrances to the
parking lots, informing students and faculty that the campus
was closed.
Students leaving
campus earlier that day were met by University Police and
parking services directing traffic on Atherton Street and
Palo Verde Avenue. Traffic lights on Atherton outside The
Pyramid were not functioning but students appeared courteous
and patient while waiting in the traffic.
"I am thankful
that the evacuation of the campus was so orderly," said
CSULB President Robert Maxson. "The students, the staff
and the police did a great job in clearing the campus."
Filippini said
the Los Angeles County Sheriff and LBPD Chief are asking people
to limit travel as much as possible over the next few days.
"The streets
are going to be full of cars." Filippini said. "People
are going to be worried about family members. They are going
to want to get together to talk about it. Airports are closed
so people are going to look for alternate forms of transportation.
It is going to be a transportation nightmare."
Phil Witte and
Lyndsey Shinoda contributed to this story.
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