{
  "id": "2022-03-24-suny-buffalo-state-bomb-threat",
  "slug": "suny-buffalo-state-bomb-threat-2022-03-24",
  "institution": {
    "name": "SUNY Buffalo State University",
    "shortName": "Buffalo State",
    "state": "NY",
    "type": "public-masters",
    "alertSystemName": "Buffalo State Alert",
    "alertPlatform": "Rave",
    "enrollment": 7000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2022-03-24",
    "type": "bomb-threat",
    "cleryCategory": "emergency-notification",
    "resolution": "unfounded",
    "headline": "Bomb threat cancels classes for two days; no credible threat found",
    "headlinePublic": "Bomb threat cancels classes for two days; no credible threat found",
    "summary": "On March 24, 2022, Buffalo State received a [bomb threat at 10:45 AM EDT](https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/buffalo-state-college-closing-campus-thursday-due-to-threat/71-581cf6c5-860f-4135-8a6a-538664e138b2) targeting several academic buildings, prompting cancellation of all Thursday classes and a six-message alert cascade across SMS and email. About [70 students sheltered in the Sports Arena](https://buffalonews.com/news/article_459012b4-ab83-11ec-bba4-e3e80f741adf.html) and the FBI joined University Police in the investigation. In the same advisory in which University Police announced no evidence of a credible threat had been found, the college [canceled Friday classes](https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/buffalo-state-college-cancels-additional-classes-due-to-bomb-threat-investigation-classes-to-resume-after-spring-break) ahead of spring break.",
    "outcome": "University Police, joined by the FBI and multiple regional law enforcement partners, found no evidence that the threat was credible. Buffalo State canceled all Thursday evening and all of Friday classes 'out of an abundance of caution and with spring break on the horizon.' No injuries or explosive devices were reported. The investigation remained open after the campus reopened post-spring break."
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestamp": "2022-03-24T10:55:00-04:00",
      "channel": "sms",
      "verbatimText": "",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": false,
      "sourceDescription": "Reconstructed from WGRZ, Buffalo News, and WBFO reporting that quoted the official college message",
      "annotations": []
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2022-03-24T17:31:00-04:00",
      "channel": "email",
      "verbatimText": "University Police would like to thank our entire campus community for their cooperation. While at this time we have found no evidence that suggests the threat is credible, UPD and its law enforcement partners continue to actively investigate the matter. The safety and security of our students, faculty, and staff remains paramount. Out of an abundance of caution and with spring break on the horizon, Buffalo State is canceling all classes on Friday, March 25. As a reminder, all classes remain canceled for Thursday evening, March 24. Only critical-essential employees, after consultation with their supervisors, should report to campus tomorrow, Friday, March 25. All other employees should consult with their supervisors about possible remote work arrangements. Effective immediately, residential students no longer need to remain in their rooms, although it should be noted that several services on campus will remain closed tonight.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://police.buffalostate.edu/advisory/march-24-2022-173118",
      "sourceDescription": "SUNY Buffalo State University Police Advisory Archive, timestamped 17:31:18 EDT",
      "annotations": [
        "Pushed at 17:31:18 EDT on March 24, 2022 per the timestamped University Police advisory archive page",
        "Functions as a partial all-clear (lifting the residence-hall confinement) but does not declare the threat resolved, explicitly maintains 'UPD and its law enforcement partners continue to actively investigate the matter'",
        "The advisory canceled an additional full day of classes (Friday, March 25) while reporting no evidence of a credible threat, citing 'an abundance of caution' and the approach of spring break"
      ],
      "characterCount": 938
    }
  ],
  "context": "At [10:45 AM EDT on Thursday, March 24, 2022, SUNY Buffalo State received a bomb threat targeting several academic buildings](https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/buffalo-state-college-closing-campus-thursday-due-to-threat/71-581cf6c5-860f-4135-8a6a-538664e138b2). University Police, joined within hours by the FBI and multiple regional partners, treated the threat as serious enough to cancel all Thursday classes and direct residential students back to their dorms and commuters off campus. Approximately [70 students chose to wait the day out at the Sports Arena](https://buffalonews.com/news/article_459012b4-ab83-11ec-bba4-e3e80f741adf.html), where the college supplied food to both the dorms and the arena. By the late afternoon, [University Police publicly announced that no evidence of a credible threat had been found](https://www.audacy.com/wben/news/local/threat-shuts-down-suny-buffalo-state), but in the same 5:31 PM EDT advisory the college [canceled Friday classes as well](https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/buffalo-state-college-cancels-additional-classes-due-to-bomb-threat-investigation-classes-to-resume-after-spring-break), citing the imminence of spring break. Across the day Buffalo State sent six text messages and matching emails, a cascade documented by student-newspaper [reporting that criticized the college's notification reliability](https://buffstaterecord.com/17388/opinion/suny-buffalo-state-college-students-reflect-on-lack-of-communication-and-preparation-during-shelter-in-place/), with multiple students reporting the emails arrived in their spam folders. The March 24, 2022 threat was Buffalo State's second high-profile mass-notification event in less than seven weeks, following the [February 9, 2022 McKinley HS shelter-in-place](https://buffstaterecord.com/17286/recent-stories/breaking-university-police-issue-shelter-in-place-warning-after-reports-of-armed-person-near-campus/).",
  "keyFindings": [
    "Buffalo State sent six text alerts plus matching emails over the course of a single day",
    "The official 17:31:18 EDT University Police advisory simultaneously announced 'no evidence that suggests the threat is credible' and canceled an additional full day of classes, citing an abundance of caution and the approach of spring break",
    "Second major mass-notification event at Buffalo State in seven weeks, following the February 9, 2022 McKinley HS shelter-in-place, both events surfaced complaints that campus email alerts were routed to spam"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "March 24, 2022 17:31:18 University Police Advisory (SUNY Buffalo State University Police)",
      "url": "https://police.buffalostate.edu/advisory/march-24-2022-173118",
      "type": "official-archive",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-13"
    },
    {
      "title": "No evidence of credible threat after Buffalo State bomb threat; classes canceled Friday (WGRZ)",
      "url": "https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/buffalo-state-college-closing-campus-thursday-due-to-threat/71-581cf6c5-860f-4135-8a6a-538664e138b2",
      "type": "local-media",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-13"
    },
    {
      "title": "Buffalo State: Police say no evidence that bomb threat was credible (Buffalo News)",
      "url": "https://buffalonews.com/news/article_459012b4-ab83-11ec-bba4-e3e80f741adf.html",
      "type": "local-media",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-13"
    },
    {
      "title": "Buffalo State shuts down following bomb threat, police continue investigation (WBFO)",
      "url": "https://www.wbfo.org/local/2022-03-24/buffalo-state-reports-threat-cancels-classes-for-remainder-of-thursday",
      "type": "local-media",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-13"
    },
    {
      "title": "Buffalo State College cancels additional classes due to bomb threat investigation (WKBW)",
      "url": "https://www.wkbw.com/news/local-news/buffalo-state-college-cancels-additional-classes-due-to-bomb-threat-investigation-classes-to-resume-after-spring-break",
      "type": "local-media",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-13"
    },
    {
      "title": "Classes canceled at Buffalo State College after threat (Spectrum News)",
      "url": "https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2022/03/24/classes-canceled-at-buffalo-state-college-after-threat-directed-toward-campus",
      "type": "local-media",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-13"
    },
    {
      "title": "March 24, 2022 - Buffalo, New York - Bomb Threat (DHS Tripwire)",
      "url": "https://tripwire.dhs.gov/node/275426",
      "type": "after-action-report",
      "accessDate": "2026-05-13"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "bomb-threat",
    "unfounded",
    "fbi",
    "buffalo-state",
    "suny",
    "new-york",
    "public-masters",
    "spring-break",
    "two-day-closure",
    "rave-alert"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-05-13",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-16",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}