Bomb Threat at Caltech Prompts Evacuation, No Explosive Found

A bomb threat targeting the Caltech campus led to evacuations early Monday morning, but no explosive device was found, according to police.

Lieutenant Matt Campeau of the Pasadena Police Department reported that officers responded to a call at 5:07 a.m. on Monday, December 9, at 1200 East California Boulevard. Caltech had received a bomb threat during a protective sweep, Campeau said.

A suspicious package was discovered near undergraduate housing on the south side of the campus, prompting an immediate response from officials, said Campeau.

According to Campeau, officers investigated and determined that the package was not a bomb or other explosive device.

Despite the initial all-clear, authorities took extra precautions. Out of an abundance of caution, residents of Caltech undergraduate housing in the area, as well as nearby non-Caltech residents, were evacuated until the threat could be investigated further, Campeau said

Law enforcement conducted an extensive sweep of the area, but no items of evidence were found during the search. The location was subsequently deemed safe, according to Campeau.

Campeau said that the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about this case is encouraged to call the Pasadena Police at (626) 744-4241 or report information anonymously by contacting “Crime Stoppers” at (800) 222-TIPS (8477) via your smartphone by downloading the “P3 Tips” Mobile App on Google Play or the Apple App Store, or by using the website http://lacrimestoppers.org