Updated: Police clear bomb threat at Cathedral of Learning

Pitt police did not find a bomb in the Cathedral of Learning and have re-opened the… Students received notice of a general bomb threat to the Cathedral of Learning Wednesday morning, but after searching the building, Pitt police did not find any bombs.

Pitt sent out the first Emergency Notification Service alert at 10:59 a.m., telling people of the threat — which did not have a specific time or location — and asking them to evacuate the building.

Pitt spokesman John Fedele said the University did not see the threat as “credible” but was erring on the side of caution.

The building re-opened at 12:45 p.m., and the University sent out another alert that said the threat had concluded.

Paul Andrzejewski, owner of Peace Love and Little Donuts in Oakland, said that the evacuation was far from hectic. He described it from his donut stand that faces the Cathedral on Bigelow Boulevard.

Andrzejewski said that students seemed very calm when first evacuating the building and remained on the Cathedral balcony until instructed by police to move across the street. He said that it only took three or four minutes for the building to empty.

But even though the added traffic brought him more business, Andrzejewski said that he was upset when he heard about the threat.

“I’m pissed off. I’m mad that someone would do that,” he said. “The cops are already on edge. It’s offensive. It’s some kid trying to get out of class.”

Junior Matt Condio, whose teacher had not arrived for class by the time the alarm went off, said he was unaware of what was happening.

“You just saw dogs and people running down the Cathedral stairs,” he said, noting that there were K-9 units sniffing around the building during the evacuation.

Despite the incident, Condio said that he did not feel like Pitt’s campus has become more dangerous, taking into account the shooting at Western Psychiatric Institute last week.

“I still feel safe. After the shootings the police are more aware and are trying to be more cautious,” he said.