Unfounded Threat Closes Southwestern College Campuses

UPDATE:

CHULA VISTA, CA – A report of a perceived threat that turned out to be unfounded prompted evacuations and closures of all Southwestern College campuses and related facilities Thursday.

The potential security hazard led school officials to begin clearing all students and staff members from Southwestern's main campus in Chula Vista and its four satellite locations about 9:15 a.m., college spokeswoman Lillian Leopold said.

The emergency security measures were prompted by a report by one student who overheard another make a seemingly menacing statement Wednesday night, according to Leopold, who declined to describe the nature of the perceived threat.

Among the facilities evacuated and closed for the day were Southwestern College Higher Education Centers in National City, Otay Mesa and San Ysidro, as well as Crown Cove Aquatic Center in Coronado.

Campus employees worked with the Metropolitan Transit Service to increase bus lines that service Southwestern College, and campus police directed traffic in the parking lot of the main campus to speed up the evacuation process.

In the mid-afternoon, college officials announced that law enforcement personnel had contacted and interviewed the student who reportedly made the suspicious statements and determined that he had not, in fact, issued any threat of violence, Leopold said. His name was not released.

The spokeswoman declined to elaborate on the circumstances that resulted in the apparent misunderstanding.

All Southwestern College facilities were scheduled to remain closed for the remainder of the day, then reopen for normal operations on Friday.

Students who left vehicles at the main campus while evacuating were being allowed to retrieve them Thursday afternoon and evening. They were directed to enter the school through its H Street entrance, Leopold said.

– By City News Service

ORIGINAL STORY:

CHULA VISTA, CA – A "credible threat" to Southwestern College forced officials to evacuate the Chula Vista campus and all centers Thursday, according to the college.

Campus police were investigating the unspecified threat.

All classes were cancelled for the remainder of the day.

No other information was immediately available.

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