USC Libraries Deemed Safe After Bomb Threat Investigation

Two libraries at the University of Southern California’s (USC) University Park Campus were declared safe following a bomb threat reported on Sunday. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) conducted a thorough search of the Leavey Library and the Doheny Memorial Library after a staff member received an email threat. The source of the email remains unknown.

USC’s Department of Public Safety alerted the LAPD, who took over the investigation. As a precaution, both libraries will remain closed until Monday morning. Campus police advised people to stay away from the area during the investigation.

The bomb threat is part of a concerning trend of false alarms, known as “swatting calls,” affecting universities across the country. According to ABC News, nearly a dozen school shooting hoaxes have been reported recently, with many believed to be connected to a single group.

While the threat at USC was ultimately deemed a false alarm, experts emphasize the seriousness of such hoaxes. John Cohen, a former acting undersecretary at the Department of Homeland Security, stated that law enforcement takes these incidents seriously and prosecutes those responsible.