Police officers and university officials, including Lehigh Police Chief Edward Shupp and Katy Kresge, an associate director of Residential Services, stand outside Lower Centennials on Monday, May 2, 2016. A search of the area is being conducted by the Lehigh University Police Department and the Bethlehem Fire Department for a “device.” (Courtesy of Oliver Rye)
UPDATE: An LU-ALERT sent at 1:21 p.m. said the Lehigh University Police Department and city K-9 squad completed a search of Palmer Hall, which is a residence hall in the Lower Centennials area, and found no device. Students are permitted to return to the area.
—
An LU-ALERT was issued to the Lehigh campus community May 2 at 11:49 a.m., which said the Lehigh University Police Department is investigating a “device” in the Lower Centennials area.
An update at 11:55 p.m. said the search is being conducted in Palmer Hall. The area is being evacuated. Police are not permitting individuals to enter the area.
The Lehigh University Police Department was unavailable to comment on the incident to The Brown and White. Residential Services did not have any additional information, though office members, as well as Office of Residence Life staff, were on the scene.
Clayton Barber, ’16, the Lower Centennials head Gryphon, said the police on scene are conducting a full search for the potential threat.
An update at 12:14 p.m. said the Lehigh University Police Department will work with the Bethlehem Fire Department to search the building. Before 1 p.m., a Bethlehem Police Department K-9 unit entered the Palmer building.
As of 1:06 p.m., caution tape was being removed from the perimeter and students were re-entering the area.
Additional reporting by Editor in Chief Jacqueline Tenreiro and News Editor Em Okrepkie.
Comment policy
Comments posted to The Brown and White website are reviewed by a moderator before being approved. Incendiary speech or harassing language, including comments targeted at individuals, may be deemed unacceptable and not published. Spam and other soliciting will also be declined.
The Brown and White also reserves the right to not publish entirely anonymous comments.