Wayne Community College (WCC) decided to shut down all operations on Friday and throughout the weekend after an unsubstantiated bomb threat was called in.
According to WRAL, WCC announced at 10 a.m. the school would be closing for the day and for the weekend.
Reporting in real time on Twitter, the News Argus categorized the closing as an "evacuation" and reported seeing police on campus directing cars and people to leave the area. Around the time of the closure, Goldsboro Police Department (GPD) Chief Jeff Stewart told the Argus the threat did not seem serious, but warranted an investigation nonetheless.
Wayne County sheriff's deputies are walking through campus gesturing it cars to leave the area pic.twitter.com/1fEgV6Rvs8
— News-Argus Cops (@NewsArgusCops) April 17, 2015
GPD Chief Jeff Stewart said his department is looking into the threat but he does not believe it is that serious. — News-Argus Cops (@NewsArgusCops) April 17, 2015
Shortly thereafter, Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce said a search found no evidence of a bomb or any such device. Around 10:30 a.m., WCC Public Information Director Tara Humphries told the Argus the closure was strictly precautionary.
Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce said no device has been found nor is there any ongoing search. the campus is however being evacuated...
— News-Argus Cops (@NewsArgusCops) April 17, 2015
Tara Humphries, comm. director for WCC said the school is not evacuating, it is simply closing early as a precaution. See today's paper. — News-Argus Cops (@NewsArgusCops) April 17, 2015
Shortly after 11 a.m., GPD Public Information Officer Kim Best told the newspaper there was no bomb mentioned in the threat. Still classifying the incident as a threat, she would not disclose any more details.
Kim Best, Goldsboro public information officer, just called and said WCC now says not a bomb threat, simply a "threat." No specifics given.
— News-Argus Cops (@NewsArgusCops) April 17, 2015
Neither WCC nor law enforcement will say just what kind of threat was made or if it was against the school or an individual. — News-Argus Cops (@NewsArgusCops) April 17, 2015
After the deadly shooting that took place earlier in the week, WCC chose the side of extreme caution in closing the school multiple consecutive days. Monday morning, Kenneth Morgan Stancil III, a 20-year-old former student, walked onto campus to shoot and kill Ron Lane, an 18-year employee in the print shop.
In multiple court appearances since, Stancil expressed no remorse for the murder and acknowledged he knew he is likely to spend the rest of his life in prison or face the death penalty. He also said in an expletive-laden interview with WRAL that he is a Neo-Nazi who hates gay people, which Lane was.
In addition to murdering him, Stancil accused Lane of being "f------ child molester," a remark that got him forcibly removed from court. WCC has stated they have never fielded a complaint against Lane.
In closing its campus for the weekend, WCC had to reschedule their "Celebration of Ron Lane's Life" event, but have yet to announce a new date.
