Sheriff: Bomb threats at La. college campuses originated from same number

LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - Bomb threats are under investigation at multiple college campuses across Louisiana Wednesday.

Calcasieu Sheriff Tony Mancuso said after speaking with other agencies, it is investigators’ belief that at least some of the threat calls, if not all, originated from the same number.

Kayla Vincent, with the Calcasieu Sheriff’s Office, says the Sheriff’s Office received a call around 1:30 p.m. saying a bomb was found in a classroom in SOWELA Technical Community College’s arts and humanities building. The school was evacuated as State Police hazmat teams investigated and Sheriff’s Office police dogs swept the facility.

The school has been cleared, and no device was found.

Roads around SOWELA were initially blocked off, but are no longer closed.

The threat was one of several called in to colleges around Louisiana today.

The St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating a bomb threat received at Nunez Community College in Chalmette around 10:45 a.m. Deputies evacuated the campus and secured all buildings and nothing suspicious was found, said Sheriff James Pohlmann. Authorities are continuing to investigate the origin of the threat.

Officials at South Louisiana Community College reported a bomb threat at its Morgan City campus before 11:30 a.m. Officials evacuated the campus and ordered everyone to stay away from the area until authorities gave an all-clear at 1:45 p.m.

Threats were called in to Central Louisiana Technical and Community College’s MacArthur, Murray and Riverside campuses in Alexandria. An all-clear has been given for all three campuses.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette alerted students via text message that police and fire authorities responded to a bomb threat at three campus buildings Wednesday morning, KLFY is reporting. The university evacuated Martin Hall, Moody Hall and F.G. Mouton Hall.

Remington College in Shreveport was evacuated after a backpack that looked like it contained a bomb was reportedly found. The all-clear was given around 12:30 p.m.

Calling in a bomb threat in Louisiana carries potential jail time of up to 20 years.

But it wasn’t just Louisiana.

Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, also was evacuated Wednesday due to a bomb threat.