Update on Today's Bomb Threat
To: W&L Students, Faculty, and Staff
From: President Will Dudley
Date: July 10, 2024
This morning the university received a threat of a bomb at an unspecified location on campus. Our Public Safety staff contacted law enforcement immediately and campus was evacuated. Local and state law enforcement responded quickly and conducted a thorough search of campus. Law enforcement determined that there was no active threat to campus safety and the evacuation order was lifted just before 3:30 p.m.
The safety of our campus is our utmost priority. We take all safety concerns seriously and the university works closely with local and state law enforcement to monitor potential threats. I understand this incident was a source of considerable stress and anxiety for those on campus and I appreciate your patience and cooperation as law enforcement conducted the search. This incident, like any security threat to our campus, will be investigated thoroughly and handled according to the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
We are grateful to our Public Safety officers; to the local, regional, and state law enforcement personnel who responded quickly to this incident; and to those in the local community who offered support. Each of us can contribute to the safety of our community. If you see suspicious activity, please report it. Use the LiveSafe app's Emergency Options feature to call 911 or message Public Safety, or dial 540-458-8999 (x8999 from on campus) to reach Public Safety at any time.
As a reminder, the university offers a variety of resources to support students and employees. If a student needs to speak to a counselor during the summer, when the University Counseling Center is closed, they have 24/7 access to free, confidential mental health services in any language by calling Telus Health at 866-743-7732 (or downloading the free app). For employees, counseling services are available through the Carilion EAP.
Dining Services will resume in the Marketplace dining hall tomorrow morning. Regular university operations and summer programming will resume as normal on Thursday, July 11.
Thank you again for your patience and cooperation.