Bomb threat at NIU forces evacuations
All buildings on the campus of Northern Illinois University have been evacuated because of a bomb threat this evening. All students and staff on campus should report to the Convocation Center, or return to their homes.
At this time, all NIU classes and events have been cancelled for tonight.
At this time, the threat appears to be a hoax and one of a series of bogus bomb threats called into a number of colleges and universities across the region.
The next building cleared was the Holmes Student Center, which was cleared for occupancy at 8:47 p.m. Buses were provided to take students to the student center.
ABC is also reporting that a bomb threat was made at DePaul University’s O’Hare campus, 8770 W. Bryn Mawr Ave.
About an hour later, it was announced on the NIU Safety Bulletins Facebook page that the basketball game planned for 8:30 p.m. would go on as scheduled.
As a result all evening classes at the school are canceled.
Police will sweep every building on campus to ensure student, faculty and staff safety, he said.
After the threat was received, NIU personnel were notified through the campus intercom system, text message alerts and posts on social media, NIU spokesman Brad Hoey said.
Elsewhere Thursday night, bomb threats were reported at Rogue Community College in Oregon and the University of Maine at Augusta.