Cathedral of Learning receives another threat

By The Pitt News Staff

On Tuesday, Pitt evacuated three campus buildings due to bomb threats.

Pitt… On Tuesday, Pitt evacuated three campus buildings due to bomb threats. Pitt Emergency Notification alerts notified students about the threats at the Cathedral of Learning and Chevron Science Center, while Litchfield Towers was evacuated early in the morning without a campus-wide alert. Tuesday’s threats brought the bomb threat total this semester to 12.

Early Tuesday morning, Litchfield Towers became the fourth building on campus to receive a general bomb threat — the 10th of the semester. ENS alerts went out for Chevron and the Cathedral at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. respectively.

Shortly before the general bomb threat to the Cathedral, Chancellor Mark Nordenberg sent out an email that invoked the memory of the shooting at Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic that occurred on March 8.

“Particularly given last month’s shootings at the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic and recent reminders of violence on other campuses, those responsible for these threats not only lack basic respect for the thousands of people whose lives have been disrupted by them but must possess a heartless streak,” he said in the email. The email went on to say that the University would seek to prosecute those responsible to the “fullest extent of the law.”

A University Spokesperson was not available for immediate comment.

Enrico Mazza was one of the hundreds of students awoken by alarms in Towers around 4 a.m. A Pitt ENS alert was not sent out about the evacuation.

“It’s getting annoying,” the biology major said in Towers lobby at 10:30 a.m., still wearing pajama pants. “I don’t want to do it anymore, especially when I’m asleep.”

He said that he didn’t observe any students from Tower B “running around” or panicking at the sound of alarms.

Buses brought some Towers residents up to the Petersen Events Center, while others waited in David Lawrence for Towers to reopen two and a half hours later.

About six hours after Towers was cleared, Pitt evacuated Chevron. The building was reopened nearly an hour and a half later. This is Chevron’s third bomb threat of the semester.

Freshman Alexis Scott expressed frustration over missing her calculus class for a third time due to threats.

“This will be the third time our exam has been postponed,” Scott said. “At first it was like we can all go outside and tan. Now with finals coming up missing class is crucial because we don’t have as much time to go over materials.”

Pitt student Erika Zimmerman was standing outside from the cathedral following the afternoon threat.

“I don’t know what else they can do,” Senior Erika Zimmerman said. “you can’t stop taking it seriously because one of these times it might be something.”

After the two threats on Monday, Pitt posted a message on the my.pitt homepage notifying students that the award had increased from $10,000 to $50,000 for anyone who has information about the actor responsible for the threats.