Campus Alert Archive
Norwich

'I Have the Detonator': A Chalkboard Threat in Norwich's U Building

VTbomb 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.

Before dawn on January 22, 2016, custodial staff at Norwich University found a bomb threat scrawled across classroom chalkboards in the U Building math and science complex, reading "I have the detonator...and you will never find me T - 16hrs ;)". Norwich pushed a RAVE emergency notification to all faculty and students, activated its Incident Command Team, and brought in Northfield police and Vermont State Police. After a sweep, officials posted all-clear notices at the building entrances around 5 a.m., concluding the threat was a hoax.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
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Institution
Norwich University
Military · VT
~2,400 studentsNorwich RAVE Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 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 ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstruction192 chars
Norwich Alert: A bomb threat was found written in the U Building (math/science complex). Avoid the U Building complex. Police are responding and searching the area. More information to follow.

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

Reconstructed wording: The Norwich Guidon reported that a RAVE notification went out to all faculty and students notifying them of the threat, but did not publish the exact text; isVerbatimConfirmed is false.
The custodial staff reported the chalkboard threat to the security office around 3 a.m. EST, prompting the RAVE alert and activation of the Incident Command Team led by Dave Magida.
The threat itself read 'I have the detonator...and you will never find me T - 16hrs ;)' on two chalkboards, which is the verbatim source material rather than the alert text.
ALL CLEARWebsite
Verified verbatimNorwich University official Facebook all-clear post83 chars
Bomb Threat All Clear Update: A sweep of the U Building complex has been completed.
The opening line of Norwich's official all-clear update is quoted verbatim from the university's Facebook post announcing the completed sweep of the U Building complex.
The Norwich Guidon reported that around 5 a.m. EST, notices were posted at the building entrances stating it had been searched and that security and Northfield Police believed the threat was a hoax.
This is a genuine all-clear: it confirms the sweep is complete and underpins the reopening of the U Building complex.
Context

Background

Norwich University, founded in 1819 in Northfield, Vermont, is the oldest private military college in the United States and the birthplace of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps tradition. In the early morning of January 22, 2016, custodial staff discovered a bomb threat written across two classroom chalkboards in the U Building — the campus math and science complex that includes Juckett, Partridge, Bartoletto, and Tompkins halls and the Cabot Science Center — reading "I have the detonator...and you will never find me T - 16hrs ;)". The security office received the custodial call around 3 a.m. EST and issued a RAVE emergency notification to all students and faculty. Emergency Management Director Dave Magida activated the Norwich Incident Command Team, and Vermont State Police dispatched a Northfield police officer to the scene. After a sweep, officials posted all-clear notices at the building entrances around 5 a.m. EST and concluded the threat was a hoax. The Guidon described it as a rare event for the disciplined military campus. The same U Building complex would be targeted again by a separate bomb threat in October 2018, making it a recurring focal point for Norwich's emergency response.
Analysis

Key Findings

A handwritten chalkboard threat — 'I have the detonator...and you will never find me T - 16hrs ;)' — triggered a pre-dawn RAVE notification and building sweep
Norwich activated its Incident Command Team and coordinated with Northfield police and Vermont State Police
Officials posted a verbatim all-clear at the building entrances around 5 a.m. EST after concluding the threat was a hoax
The U Building math/science complex was the focal point, the same complex targeted again by a separate 2018 bomb threat
Outcome
No explosive device was found. Security and Northfield Police concluded the chalkboard threat was a hoax after a building sweep, and the U Building complex was cleared and reopened. Norwich's Incident Command Team coordinated the response.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    Rare bomb threat leads to campus lockdown, searches; investigation continues - The Norwich Guidon
    thenorwichguidon.org
  2. Social
    Bomb Threat All Clear Update - Norwich University Facebook
    facebook.com
Tags
bomb-threatvermontnorwich-universitymilitary-collegehoaxemergency-notificationUnfounded
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion