Campus Alert Archive
UF

Oddly Taped Cylindrical Tube Prompts Peabody Hall Evacuation and Bomb Squad Response

FLsuspicious packageemergency 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 February 7, 2024, a suspicious package was reported at Peabody Hall on the University of Florida campus. A staff member called UFPD around 8:00 a.m. to report an oddly taped cylindrical tube delivered by an unknown person. The Alachua County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad determined the package contained no hazardous materials, and normal operations resumed by 10:17 a.m.

Alerts
3
Response
38 min
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
University of Florida
Public R1 · FL
~60,000 studentsRaveUF Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 2 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 ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstruction186 chars
UF Alert: Suspicious package reported at Peabody Hall, 1500 Union Road. Building has been evacuated. Avoid the area. UFPD and Alachua County Bomb Squad are responding. Updates to follow.

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

Reconstructed from local media reports of the UF Alert notification
Peabody Hall houses offices for the Dean of Students and the Counseling Center
The suspicious package was described as an oddly taped cylindrical tube delivered by an unknown person
UPDATETwitter/X
Verified verbatimUF Alert verified X account170 chars
UF Alert-Gainesville Update: Suspicious Package at Peabody Hall. Law Enforcement is on scene awaiting assistance from mutual aid resources. Please stay clear of the area.
Posted to UF Alert's verified X account on February 7, 2024 — the first follow-up confirming UFPD was awaiting bomb-squad mutual aid from the Alachua County Sheriff's Office
Uses the standard 'UF Alert-Gainesville Update:' prefix that appears across other UF emergency tweets
Issued before the Alachua County Bomb Squad arrived to render the cylindrical tube safe
ALL CLEARTwitter/X
Verified verbatim@UFAlert official X account (quoted verbatim in WUFT and WCJB reporting)195 chars
Gainesville Update: Suspicious Package - The Alachua County Sheriff's Office and UFPD have deemed the package not a threat. Law enforcement has cleared Peabody Hall. Normal operations may resume.
Quoted verbatim from the @UFAlert X post at approximately 10:17 AM EST on February 7, 2024
The incident was resolved in under two hours from the initial report
The joint investigation between UFPD and the Alachua County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad followed standard protocols
Context

Background

The Peabody Hall suspicious package incident on February 7, 2024, was resolved quickly and without any academic disruption. A university staff member reported the oddly taped cylindrical tube to UFPD around 8:00 a.m., and the building was evacuated as a precaution. Peabody Hall is one of the oldest buildings on the UF campus and houses the Dean of Students office and Counseling Center. The Alachua County Bomb Squad responded and determined the package was not a threat. By 10:17 a.m., normal operations had resumed. This incident represents the type of suspicious package response that campus police handle routinely but that still requires activating the full emergency notification system to protect the campus community.
Outcome
The package was determined to contain no hazardous or explosive materials. Normal operations at Peabody Hall resumed at approximately 10:17 a.m. No academic disruptions were reported.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    A suspicious package at Peabody Hall deemed not a threat (WUFT)
    wuft.org
  2. News
    UF Alert: Normal operations resume at Peabody Hall (WCJB)
    wcjb.com
  3. News
    Peabody Hall evacuated for suspicious package (Alachua Chronicle)
    alachuachronicle.com
Tags
suspicious-packagebomb-squadfloridapublic-r1evacuationunfoundedquick-resolutionUnfounded
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion