NEW YORK CITY, NY – York College and Queens College, part of The City University of New York (CUNY), were swiftly evacuated Thursday afternoon after receiving what authorities have considered “credible” bomb threats via email, as per police and educational authorities.
Located in the Jamaica and Flushing neighborhoods respectively, both colleges reported threats around 12:50 p.m., prompting an immediate response from the New York Police Department (NYPD). The Emergency Services Unit of the NYPD descended onto the campuses, directing all students to vacate the premises.
While no devices were eventually discovered, and NYPD had the situation normalized by 2:30 p.m., the campuses remained closed for the day. Queens College transitioned to remote classes as of 2:45 p.m., a measure extended in line with advice to the campus community to operate remotely for the remainder of the day, according to an official statement. Normal proceedings are to resume as scheduled tomorrow.
York College adopted a similar response, shifting to remote classes from 1:15 p.m., ensuring all campus buildings remained closed, the college’s official website indicated. Professor Michael Sharpe, a seasoned faculty member at York College, expressed surprise to The Queens Courier, stating, “I’ve been here for 16 years, and this is the first time I’ve seen this.”
While the threat was anonymous, campus authorities and law enforcement officials lean on the side of caution in such incidences. Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, offered his condemnation of the threats, terming them “dangerous and disgusting,” and reiterated the borough’s stand against such actions.