Bomb Threat at Harvard's Memorial Hall Triggers Shelter-in-Place Order

Harvard Police responded to a bomb threat at Memorial Hall on Monday, issuing a shelter-in-place order at 8:45 a.m. Classes were cancelled and buildings evacuated.

Bomb threat closes Memorial Hall and disrupts morning classes at Harvard

Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) responded to a bomb threat at Memorial Hall on Monday morning, according to thecrimson.com. The University issued an emergency alert at around 8:45 a.m., instructing affiliates near the building to shelter in place and directing others to avoid the area until further notice.

HUPD lifted the shelter-in-place order at approximately 9:20 a.m. but continued to advise staff and students to stay away from Memorial Hall and the adjacent Zimmer Hall plaza. A follow-up message issued 15 minutes later reiterated that warning for the plaza area.

Police and emergency personnel established a perimeter around Memorial Hall, blocking students from entering the building. At 10:05 a.m., HUPD confirmed that Memorial Hall remained closed and that a further update would follow "within the hour." By 10:18 a.m., HUPD had also closed Memorial Church, located inside Harvard Yard, citing an abundance of caution.

Cambridge Police Department spokesperson Jennie Lopez stated at 9:43 a.m. that CPD was assisting HUPD with a sweep of Memorial Hall, adding that HUPD is "leading the investigation." HUPD spokesperson Steven G. Catalano did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Students in Annenberg Hall — the College's first-year dining hall, which adjoins Memorial Hall — were evacuated, and the building remained closed throughout the morning.

The threat disrupted multiple courses across the area. LPS A: "Foundational Chemistry and Biology," a large introductory life sciences course scheduled for 9 a.m., was cancelled at 9:24 a.m. following HUPD's warning to avoid Zimmer Hall plaza. Students enrolled in Econ 10A: "Introduction to Microeconomics," which meets in Sanders Theatre inside Memorial Hall, were notified that the 10:30 a.m. session would be held remotely. SOC 1156: "Statistics for Social Studies," held in William James Hall roughly a block from Memorial Hall, was also cancelled.

Not all classes were affected equally. Students in ECON 1010A: "Intermediate Microeconomics" in Zimmer Hall were informed just ten minutes before their 10:30 a.m. lecture that class would proceed as normal, as the building "is not closed."

Shuttle service near Memorial Hall was also halted. Students already on Harvard shuttles when the threat was reported were instructed to avoid the building, according to two students riding the shuttles at the time.

Memorial Hall occupies a central position on campus, situated between Harvard Yard and Zimmer Hall. The building houses Sanders Theatre, one of the university's main lecture venues.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)