Univeristy of St. Thomas reopens after bomb threats

Two buildings searched after e-mails received

HOUSTON – The University of St. Thomas reopened at 3:30 p.m. Thursday after it was closed for most of the day after the school received two bomb threats.

Houston police bomb squad and K9 units searched the campus and found nothing after an extensive search of the two buildings that were targeted and the rest of the campus.

Just before 8:30 a.m. Thursday, a spokesperson at the school said a bomb threat was received via email for the Doherty Library. The library was evacuated and searched by UST Security Officers, and also by the bomb squad and its K9 units.

A spokesperson said that a second threat was called in to the Harris County Sheriff's Office later in the morning. That threat targeted the Link-Lee Mansion. The bomb squad and K9s searched that building. After an extensive search, they gave an all clear.

The University said they deployed their emergency notification system to faculty, staff and students at 8:31 a.m. and again at 10:09 a.m. and everyone on campus was told to evacuate immediately.

Classes and events were canceled for the most of the day, but school officials said they sent out a final alert around 1:30 p.m. to let students know the campus was safe and that classes and event activities would resume at 3:30 p.m.

School officials said they take all threats seriously and the safety of students and the campus community is their first priority.