Campus Alert Archive
SBU

Early Morning Chemistry Building Bomb Threat Triggers SBU Investigation Using Electronic Surveillance

NYbomb threatemergency notificationmedium confidence
UnfoundedNo evidence of an actual threat was found. The institutional response is documented because the alert communication is identical to what would occur during a real incident.

On January 13, 2024, Stony Brook University police responded to a potential bomb threat in the Chemistry Building around 7:30 AM EST. After a thorough investigation using electronic surveillance and building access records, police determined there was no threat and regular activity resumed.

Alerts
3
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Stony Brook University
Public R1 · NY
~27,000 studentsSB Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTPush
Approximate reconstruction154 chars
SB ALERT: University Police are investigating a potential bomb threat in the Chemistry Building. Avoid the area until further notice. Updates will follow.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from The Statesman student newspaper reporting
The call came in around 7:30 AM on a Saturday morning when the building had minimal occupancy
Police used electronic surveillance and building access records as part of their investigation
ALL CLEARPush
Approximate reconstruction149 chars
SB ALERT: The Chemistry Building has been cleared. University Police have determined there is no threat. Regular activity may resume in the building.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from The Statesman reporting
Police used a combination of electronic surveillance and building access records to determine there was no threat
The investigation concluded there was no evidence to support the threat
FOLLOW-UPEmail
Verified verbatimInterim Chief of Police and Assistant Vice President for Campus Safety Lawrence Zacarese, in a written statement reproduced verbatim by The Statesman282 chars
Early this morning, University Police were notified regarding a bomb threat in the Chemistry Building. After a thorough investigation, including electronic surveillance and building access records, the police determined that there was not a threat and regular activity could resume.
Verbatim two-sentence written response from Interim Chief Lawrence Zacarese to The Statesman, attributed directly: 'Zacarese wrote to The Statesman later in the day'
The brevity of the public statement is consistent with a low-profile incident resolved without evacuation
Zacarese's title — Interim Chief of Police and Assistant Vice President for Campus Safety — illustrates the dual public-safety/police leadership common at large SUNY campuses
Context

Background

On the morning of January 13, 2024, Stony Brook University police responded to a call regarding a potential bomb threat in the Chemistry Building around 7:30 AM. The call came in on a Saturday morning when the building would have had minimal occupancy. University police conducted a thorough investigation that included reviewing electronic surveillance and building access records to determine whether the threat had any credibility. After completing their review, police determined there was no threat and regular activity could resume. The incident was relatively low-profile compared to other campus bomb threats, in part because of the weekend timing and the quick resolution through electronic investigation rather than a full building sweep.
Analysis

Key Findings

The use of electronic surveillance and building access records represented a modern investigative approach to bomb threat verification
Saturday morning timing meant the building had minimal occupancy, reducing the disruption
The threat was resolved without a full-scale evacuation or multi-agency response
Outcome
No explosive devices or threats were found. The Chemistry Building was cleared and reopened for normal operations after the investigation concluded.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    SBU police respond to potential bomb threat in the chemistry building (The Statesman)
    sbstatesman.com
  2. Official
    SB Alert Archive (Stony Brook University Police)
    stonybrook.edu
Tags
bomb-threatunfoundednew-yorkchemistry-buildingweekendelectronic-surveillancepublic-universityUnfounded
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion