On November 20, we reported that the Texas Tech University campus in Lubbock had issued an emergency alert advising that police were in the process of investigating a suspicious package found near Talkington Hall Parking lot.
Then, at 2:55 p.m. on the same day, the university had issued a statement on their social media platforms informing the public that the bomb squad was investigating the package. Subsequently, students and faculty were asked to avoid the area. Residents, staff, and students had been monitoring school media following that report, awaiting further details.
Additional updates were released by TTU at 4:37 p.m. when it was identified that university police had removed the device and placed it into a “containment pod.” They also advised that the area was still being searched to see if this was the only package. At approximately 5 p.m., the authorities and the school advised that the area had been approved for re-entry, signaling the “all-clear.”
School officials released a statement indicating the following: “Texas Tech Police Department (TTPD) received a call this afternoon concerning a ‘suspicious package’ in the parking lot east of Talkington Hall. TTPD, along with the bomb squad unit of the Lubbock Police Department and Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, responded, contained the device and removed it from campus. The situation is still under investigation by TTPD and other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.”
Texas Tech campus police and the local authorities will continue to work hand-in-hand over the course of the coming days to ensure the area is secured, the situation has been handled effectively, and the safety of the community, school, and surrounding residents is assured.
