Suspicious Package Brings State Bomb Squad

At approximately 9:45 a.m. Tuesday morning, the Amherst College Police Department (ACPD) found a suspicious package and battery pack at the Science Center’s loading dock. ACPD reported that items on the scene included a note: “Fire hazard, call Environmental Health and Safety. Do not put in trash or store in building.”

In an interview with The Student, Associate Vice President for Safety and Chief of Police John Carter said that a community member alerted the Amherst College Environmental Health and Safety department of the suspicious package; the department subsequently contacted ACPD.

According to Carter, at 10:06 a.m., an AC Alert notification announced police and fire activity on the loading dock, advising the community to avoid the area as responders investigated the package. At 10:39 a.m., ACPD decided to evacuate the Science Center, sending another AC alert out at approximately 10:40 a.m.

Anna Jordan ’27 was in the Science Center when it was evacuated. “We got the notification to evacuate and a few seconds later the professor realized and calmly announced that we should leave the building,” she said. “We all fairly normally, and with not a ton of urgency, walked out of the room and down the nearest stairwell.”

Brianna Zhang ’27 also evacuated and commented that “everyone else in the science center was walking pretty slowly and calmly. It was not a very tense environment.”

Shortly after, at approximately 10:52 a.m., an email was sent out alerting the community that the Amherst Police Department (APD) had been notified of the package and that ACPD had requested a bomb-detection canine unit. The Amherst Fire Department also responded to the threat. The email also reported that “there is no indication that there is a broader threat to campus.”

Carter said that “a police canine ‘alerts’ to when it has detected a target scent, such as drugs, explosives or a hidden suspect.” The canine unit alerted investigators that the package may contain explosive materials, which prompted ACPD to evacuate the Science Center. The 10:52 a.m. email stated that the evacuation decision was made “out of an abundance of caution.” The State Police bomb disposal team was also dispatched and arrived at 11:56 a.m., according to Carter.

At 12:32 p.m., ACPD made the decision to give the all-clear: “No dangerous materials were found,” the alert said. The Science Center reopened with classes to resume at 1 p.m.

A follow-up email from ACPD at approximately 2:07 p.m. explained that a thorough investigation determined no crime was committed after speaking with a community member who gave the note context. Massachusetts State police disposed of the package. 

“Detectives were able to determine the content of the objects being placed there and the determination of no criminal intent. The State Police were able to verify that none of the objects were intended to be harmful,” Carter said.

The 2:07 p.m. email stated that ACPD and APD investigated whether the substance leaked into Wieland Resident Hall, “but found no issue of concern.”

The same email reiterated that “there is no threat to campus safety,” and Carter said that the investigation is now closed.