Newark – On Friday morning, February 10, 2017, students at the University of Delaware looked on as police officers surrounded the Eliphalet Gilbert and Louis L. Redding dorms. Officers from UD Police, Newark Police and the Delaware State Police, joined by fire and rescue crews, responded to the UD campus for a report of a suspicious package, according to UD spokeswoman Andrea Boyle Tippe.
Tippe said that a suspicious package was found on campus at around 6:37 a.m. Friday morning. She went on to say that a UD facilities crew spotted a suspicious package within the back area of their trash truck after emptying a trash receptacle on Haines Street, near the Redding and Gilbert residence halls.
The crew contacted UD Police, who immediately cordoned off the area the area and contacted the Delaware State Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (OED) team, according to Tippe.
UD alert: police activity in the area of Gilbert/Redding dorms. Foot traffic is not permitted at this time. Follow police instructions
— UDel Police Dept (@udelpolice) February 10, 2017
Students were initially told to evacuate the Eliphalet Gilbert and Louis L. Redding buildings over the university’s intercom system, according to students leaving the building.
UD Police later released the following notice via social media. “Correction: Gilbert and Redding are not being evacuated at this time. Police have asked the residents who live closest to the Haines Street side of the building to stay away from the windows. We will continue to update”
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UD Police issued an alert notifying the entire campus community to stay away from the area at 7:20 a.m., and a second alert at 9:25 a.m. advised the community that there might be a noise with the EOD team disposed of the package.
At 9:54 am, Delaware State Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams disposed of a suspicious package on the campus of the University of Delaware. The scene is now safe. UDEL Police originally said the device was found to be a hoax. Chief Ogden later said detectives don’t believe there was any intention to deceive.
“We’re very confident this was a homemade battery and not intended to be a hoax device,” Ogden said.
Newark Police reopened the effected streets around 10:30 a.m.
Police are disposing of the package and you may hear a loud noise. Foot traffic is still not permitted in area
— UDel Police Dept (@udelpolice) February 10, 2017
As a precaution, UDPD are checking other areas on campus, Tippe said.
K9 teams will be on east campus doing additional searches. Please allow them to do their work and avoid the area
— UDel Police Dept (@udelpolice) February 10, 2017
