MSU spokesman Jason Cody said in an email MSU police assess threats to campus safety and determine on a “case-by-case basis” whether to issue an alert.
“In this case, the individuals who needed to take action — faculty, staff and students in the stadium complex — were evacuated by police immediately after the threat was made,” Cody said. “Police then set up a perimeter so others could not get close. Thus, an alert to the entire campus community was not needed.”
But after the evacuation order was given and the search was underway, employees and other pedestrians could be seen strolling past the stadium’s exterior.
But not everyone heard the evacuation order.
Recent graduate and MSU Museum employee Riley Ravary was working in the Central Services building which sits in the shadow of the stadium’s east end. As other university employees dispersed, Ravary and a colleague were walking around the stadium toward Munn field.
“We were supposed to evacuate, but we didn’t hear about it,” Ravary said in a previous interview with The State News.
MSU police Capt. Penny Fischer said Spartan Stadium and the surrounding area was easily controlled, and officials did not feel it necessary to alert all of MSU since the threat was confined to that one site.
“We recommend to follow the directions of the first responders and the officers within the facility,” she said.
After the incident was investigated further and no bomb was found at Spartan Stadium, two arrests were made.
The suspects — Cynthia Marie Spade, 30, and Anthony Robert Shearer, 31 — are Lansing residents but have no affiliation to MSU, MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said. The suspects were arrested the day of the threat and arraigned on one charge each of felony false threat of bomb on July 3.
Both are being held at the Ingham County Jail and scheduled to appear in court again on July 8.
Cody said searching the stadium was an extra precaution.
“Police detained the suspects very quickly and determined the threat wasn’t credible,” Cody said. “The stadium was searched out of an abundance of caution.”
Fischer said she estimated the entire evacuation and incident lasted less than 90 minutes.
“People over there were very accepting and prepared,” she said.
Fischer said MSU has a procedure in place for such bomb threat situations, but could not disclose it for safety reasons.
“MSU has emergency operation plans that covers myriad threats and situations, including bomb threats,” Cody said. “MSU police — and the entire campus community, for that matter — perform annual drills covering many different threats. In this case, it’s important to note that the affected buildings were safely evacuated within minutes of the threat.”
