Terrorist “Act” At Georgia Tech
Okay, GT management! I should not have found out about this via Instapundit:
Three explosive devices found in a courtyard between two Georgia Tech dormitories on the East Campus Monday morning were part of a “terrorist act,” an Atlanta police official said. One of the devices exploded, injuring the custodian who found them inside a plastic bag. Two others were detonated by a bomb squad.
Granted – East campus is the other side of the school from me, so I haven’t seen anything. Has anybody heard anything else?
[Update 5:09 pm] – READ THE COMMENTS (just interesting stuff) and Tech’s e-mail to the students is in the extended entry
Oct. 10, 2005
Questions relating to this morning’s incident near the East Campus residence halls are appreciated and understandable. Please know that the Georgia Tech Police, the City of Atlanta Police and other emergency responders took full precautions in responding to this incident.
Just before 9 a.m. this morning, Oct. 10 during routine grounds cleaning, a facility staff member picked up an item believed to be trash in the courtyard near the Glenn and Cloudman residence halls and it exploded. He was taken to a local clinic for evaluation.
Two other similar devices found at the scene were detonated by the Atlanta Police Department explosives disposal unit.
Glenn and Cloudman were evacuated as precautionary measures. Students were allowed to return to their rooms at noon.
In the news, you will hear the phrase “terroristic act,” and in keeping with Georgia Code, any explosive device left in a public area fits this definition. Although the Atlanta Police Department has said they will investigate the bombing as if it were a terrorist act, it does not mean that it was in fact a terrorist act. The rapid and thorough response to this morning’s incident by campus and local police is an example of the authorities’ readiness to respond and protect the campus community.
If you have any information about this incident, please email:
crimetips@police.gatech.edu.
When I got in this morning, cop cars with flashing lights had closed off the lot I park in (the lot shared by police and T&P). Since that’s the only lot I can park in, I parked a bit up the street and went up to the cops to ask what’s going on. The cops ignored me (one gave me a dirty look… but no one asked me to clear out), and then I noticed a cop carefully carrying a grenade away from the lot. I couldn’t tell if it was a real grenade or a fake platic one, but the cops didn’t seem too nervous about handling it. As soon as they got the grenade out of the lot, the cop cars cleared out and opened up the lot again. No idea if it’s connected.
Not really but I did hear the same news on WSB radio in the car this morning. (Yes, I was listening to Boortz…)
Until now I resisted the joke “Explosive Device Found On GA Tech Campus. Experts Certain It Is Not The Yellow Jacket’s Offense.”
All I heard was a rumor that it was a firecracker in a plastic bottle. I haven’t heard anything official.
No official word from the school.
Spoke too soon:
http://www.gatech.edu/news-room/release.php?id=674
Finally! Is it me or is that way too long to tell the people at the institution what is going on? I understand not wanting to start a panic, but I really think that more information is better here.