A lockdown at a New York college lasted more than seven hours Monday after the school’s campus safety department received phone threats about a bomb and shooter, which were eventually determined not to be credible, according to school officials.
Hamilton College, in the town of Clinton in upstate New York, was first locked down at 11:21 a.m. ET and about two hours later, the South Campus was evacuated after a suspicious package was found. The package was investigated and wasn't found to be a threat, according to the school.
But students and staff at the school were told to continue to shelter in place as police swept the Kirner-Johnson building, a large building on the northern part of the campus where the threats were first reported, according to the school.
The school warned in emergency notifications and on their Twitter feed that everyone on the grounds should remain inside, lock doors, close curtains and stay away from windows.
More than 50 law enforcement officers who responded to the incident helped to determine that the threats were unsubstantiated, and the lockdown was lifted at 5:55 p.m., the school said in a statement Monday evening.
Police are still investigating the initial phone call, the school statement said, adding that New York State troopers would remain on campus through Tuesday.
Hamilton is a private college with 1,850 students, most of who live on the 1,300-acre campus, according to the school’s website.
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— Elisha Fieldstadt
