Campus Alert Archive
MCLA

Phoned threat of two bombs empties all campus buildings; student later arrested

AI-generated · every claim is source-linked
MAbomb threatemergency notificationmedium confidence
Compare →
Confirmed HoaxDetermined to be a hoax. The institutional response is documented because it reveals how the alert system performed under a perceived real threat.

On October 6, 2014, a third-year student called North Adams Police at 9:40 AM EDT claiming two bombs were on campus and would detonate at 10:30 AM EDT, prompting the evacuation of all campus buildings at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, Massachusetts. More than 1,800 faculty and students were evacuated while the North Adams Fire Department conducted a building-by-building sweep; no devices were found and classes resumed at 2:00 PM EDT.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Public Bachelors · MA
All MCLA cases →
~1,800 studentsMCLA Emergency Alert
Official alert policy
Read when and how MCLA says it will use MCLA Emergency Alert: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Some messages in this sequence are documented (their existence, timing, and channel are sourced) but their exact wording is not preserved in the public record. Those entries appear as placeholders; only confirmed text is displayed.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Verified verbatimiBerkshires, quoting the text message MCLA students received at approximately 10:15 AM EDT137 chars
There is a report of a bomb threat on the MCLA campus. All community member evacuate immediately to the Armory located on Ashland Street.
The grammatical slip 'All community member evacuate' is preserved exactly as quoted by iBerkshires, a marker of a message composed under deadline pressure with a claimed 10:30 AM EDT detonation only minutes away
Unusually for a campus evacuation, the message names a specific off-campus rally point: the Armory on Ashland Street in North Adams
iBerkshires reported students received this text around 10:15 AM EDT, 35 minutes after the 9:40 AM EDT threat call was made to North Adams Police rather than to the campus emergency line, leaving roughly 15 minutes before the claimed detonation time
ALL CLEARSMS
Wording not preserved
A all clear message is documented at this point in the sequence, but its exact wording is not preserved in the public record. The public edition displays only confirmed alert text.
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

There is a report of a bomb threat on the MCLA campus. All community member evacuate immediately to the Armory located on Ashland Street.

  • Sourceabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree the source is absent; no sender tag or named authority appears in the text.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. absent: No sender tag or named authority appears in the text.
    2. absent: No branded signature, sender, or named authority appears in the text.
    3. absent: No sender tag, branded signature, or named authority appears in the text.
    4. absent: No branded signature or named authority appears, only the MCLA campus referenced.
    5. absent: No sender, branded signature, or issuing authority is identified in the text.
    6. absent: No sender, branded signature, or agency is identified in the text.
    7. absent: No sender tag, university name as sender, or named authority appears in the text.
    8. absent: No sender tag, university name as issuer, or named authority appears.
    9. absent: No sender, branded signature, or named authority appears in the text.
    10. absent: No sender, branded signature, or responding authority is named in the text.
    11. absent: No sender or branded signature appears in the text.
    12. absent: No sender, agency, or branded signature appears in the text.
    13. absent: No sender tag, signature, or issuing authority is named in the text.
    14. absent: No sender tag, university name, or agency identifies the source.
    15. absent: No sender, signature, or named authority appears in this message.
    16. absent: No sender, authority, or branded signature is identified in the text.
    17. absent: No sender, branded tag, or named agency appears in the text.
    18. absent: No sender tag, university name as issuer, or named agency is identified in the text.
    19. absent: No sender tag or named authority appears in the text.
    20. absent: No sender or branded signature is identified in the text.
    21. absent: No sender, branded signature, or named authority identifies who issued this message.
    22. absent: No sender, branded signature, or named authority is identified in the text.
    23. absent: No sender, branded signature, or named authority appears in the text.
    24. absent: No sender tag or issuing authority is identified in the text.
    25. absent: No sender tag, agency, or institution names itself in the text.
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree the hazard is present; the alert names a bomb threat, a specific hazard.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific hazard.
    2. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    3. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific hazard.
    4. present: It names a specific threat: "a bomb threat".
    5. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    6. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    7. present: It states "a report of a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    8. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific hazard.
    9. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    10. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    11. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    12. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    13. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    14. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific hazard.
    15. present: "a bomb threat" names a specific hazard.
    16. present: It states "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    17. present: It states "a report of a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    18. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    19. present: "a bomb threat" names a specific threat.
    20. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    21. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    22. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    23. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
    24. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific hazard.
    25. present: It names "a bomb threat", a specific threat.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree specific locations are given: the MCLA campus and the Armory on Ashland Street.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: It cites "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street", places.
    2. present: It specifies "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street".
    3. present: It names "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street", specific places.
    4. present: It specifies "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street".
    5. present: It specifies "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street".
    6. present: It says "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street", specific places.
    7. present: It names "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street".
    8. present: It names "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street".
    9. present: It names "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street".
    10. present: It specifies "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street", named places.
    11. present: It locates it "on the MCLA campus" and directs to "the Armory located on Ashland Street".
    12. present: It names "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street", specific places.
    13. present: It locates it on "the MCLA campus" and directs to "the Armory located on Ashland Street".
    14. present: It names "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street".
    15. present: "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory ... on Ashland Street" specify locations.
    16. present: It says "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street", specific places.
    17. present: It names "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street".
    18. present: It names "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory ... on Ashland Street".
    19. present: It names "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street."
    20. present: It specifies "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street", named places.
    21. present: It cites "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street", specific places.
    22. present: It cites "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street", specific places.
    23. present: It cites "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street", specific places.
    24. present: It names "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory located on Ashland Street", specific places.
    25. present: It cites "the MCLA campus" and "the Armory on Ashland Street".
  • Guidancepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree guidance is present; the alert instructs recipients to evacuate immediately to the Armory.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: "evacuate immediately to the Armory" instructs a protective action.
    2. present: It instructs to "evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    3. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    4. present: It instructs "All community member evacuate immediately".
    5. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    6. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    7. present: It instructs community members to "evacuate immediately to the Armory".
    8. present: "All community member evacuate immediately" is a protective instruction.
    9. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory".
    10. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    11. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    12. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    13. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory".
    14. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory".
    15. present: "evacuate immediately to the Armory" is a protective instruction.
    16. present: It instructs "All community member evacuate immediately", a protective action.
    17. present: It instructs "All community member evacuate immediately to the Armory".
    18. present: It instructs "All community member evacuate immediately to the Armory".
    19. present: "All community member evacuate immediately to the Armory" is a protective action.
    20. present: It instructs community members to "evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    21. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    22. present: It instructs "community member evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    23. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    24. present: It instructs "evacuate immediately to the Armory", a protective action.
    25. present: "All community member evacuate immediately to the Armory" is an instruction.
  • Timepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    All 25 reads agree timing is present; "immediately" conveys urgency.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: "immediately" conveys urgency, a time cue.
    2. present: "immediately" conveys urgency.
    3. present: "immediately" conveys urgency and recency, a time cue.
    4. present: The word "immediately" conveys urgency/recency.
    5. present: The word "immediately" conveys urgency and recency.
    6. present: It says "immediately", a recency cue.
    7. present: "immediately" conveys recency.
    8. present: "immediately" conveys immediacy.
    9. present: "immediately" conveys urgency, a time cue.
    10. present: "immediately" conveys urgency, a time cue.
    11. present: The word "immediately" conveys urgency/recency.
    12. present: The word "immediately" conveys urgency and recency.
    13. present: The word "immediately" conveys urgency and recency.
    14. present: "immediately" conveys recency.
    15. present: "immediately" conveys recency, a time cue.
    16. present: It says "immediately", a recency cue.
    17. present: "immediately" conveys urgency/recency.
    18. present: The word "immediately" conveys urgency, a time cue.
    19. present: "immediately" conveys urgency.
    20. present: "immediately" conveys an urgent, now-oriented timing cue.
    21. present: "immediately" conveys a time cue.
    22. present: "immediately" conveys a recency cue.
    23. present: "immediately" conveys immediacy.
    24. present: "immediately" conveys urgency and recency.
    25. present: "immediately" conveys urgency.
  • Impactabsent4/25

    Final assessment

    Absent by strong majority (21 of 25): reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no explosive danger or potential harm.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no explosive danger or potential harm.
    2. absent: It reports a bomb threat and orders evacuation but states no specific danger or potential consequence.
    3. present: Reports a bomb threat and orders all community members to evacuate immediately, with urgent evacuation conveying danger.
    4. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no explicit harm or severity.
    5. absent: It reports a bomb threat and directs immediate evacuation but states no harm or hazard severity.
    6. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no danger of explosion or potential harm.
    7. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders evacuation without stating any potential harm.
    8. present: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation conveying danger requiring evacuation.
    9. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no potential harm or explosion severity.
    10. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders evacuation but states no specific danger or consequence.
    11. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no specific harm or consequence.
    12. present: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation, with the immediate evacuation implying danger to people.
    13. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no explicit harm or consequence.
    14. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders evacuation but states no specific danger or potential harm.
    15. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no potential harm or severity.
    16. absent: Reports a bomb threat and to evacuate immediately but states no explicit danger or consequence.
    17. absent: It reports a bomb threat and orders evacuation but states no specific harm or danger.
    18. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no specific harm or severity.
    19. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no specific harm or danger.
    20. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders evacuation but states no explicit harm or severity.
    21. absent: It reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no specific harm or stated danger.
    22. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no potential harm or severity.
    23. present: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation to the Armory, with immediate evacuation implying serious danger.
    24. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders immediate evacuation but states no specific harm or severity.
    25. absent: Reports a bomb threat and orders evacuation but states no potential harm or severity of the device.

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) is a small public liberal-arts college in North Adams, in the Berkshire hills of western Massachusetts, with roughly 1,800 enrolled students and faculty. On the morning of October 6, 2014, Jarret Ferriter, a 21-year-old third-year MCLA student, called the North Adams Police Department at approximately 9:40 AM EDT claiming that two bombs were on campus and would detonate at 10:30 AM EDT. The North Adams Fire Department swept all campus buildings while police cordoned off the area; more than 1,800 faculty and students were evacuated. No devices were found and classes resumed at 2:00 PM EDT. Investigation traced the call to a community phone at Ferriter's campus townhouse from fingerprint evidence and statements from a roommate. Ferriter later admitted in court that he had stopped taking prescribed medication for ADHD and depression the morning of the call and described it as a 'prank.' He was placed on two years' probation, assigned 150 hours of community service, ordered to pay more than $15,000 in restitution to offset emergency response costs, and barred from the MCLA campus. The case illustrates how a single phoned threat can translate into a campus-wide evacuation costing thousands of dollars in public safety resources.
Analysis

Key Findings

The threat was phoned to city police rather than campus emergency services, adding a relay step before MCLA initiated its evacuation
A stated 10:30 AM EDT detonation window compressed the response window to under 50 minutes for clearing all 1,800 occupants
Fingerprints on a campus community phone provided the physical evidence that led to Ferriter's arrest
The court ordered more than $15,000 in restitution to offset emergency response costs
Outcome
No devices found. Suspect Jarret Ferriter, 21, a third-year MCLA student, was arrested and later admitted the call was a false bomb threat made after he stopped taking medication for ADHD and depression. He was placed on two years probation, 150 hours community service, and ordered to pay more than $15,000 in restitution.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Suspect Charged For Making False Bomb Threat At MCLA - WAMC
    wamc.org
    archived copy
  2. News
    Update: North Adams Man Charged In MCLA Bomb Threat - Berkshire Eagle
    berkshireeagle.com
    archived copy
  3. News
    North Adams Man Admits To Making False MCLA Bomb Threat - WAMC
    wamc.org
    archived copy
  4. News
    All Clear Following Bomb Threat At North Adams College - WAMC
    wamc.org
    archived copy
  5. News
    Suspect Charged in MCLA Bomb Threat - iBerkshires
    iberkshires.com
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts: Phoned threat of two bombs empties all campus buildings; student later arrested." Incident of October 6, 2014. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/mcla-bomb-threat-ferriter-2014-10-06/

Download case JSON

Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
bomb-threatconfirmed-hoaxcommunity-phonemental-healthsmall-collegemassachusettsberkshiresrestitutionmedicationHoax
Added May 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion