Campus Alert Archive
PMI Denver

Bomb Squad Clears Pima Medical Institute in Two-Hour Denver Shelter-in-Place

CObomb 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 July 20, 2022, Pima Medical Institute's Denver campus at 7475 Dakin Street was placed under a shelter-in-place order after the Adams County Sheriff's Office received a bomb threat. Students were relocated to a nearby restaurant while the Adams County bomb squad and K-9 units swept the building. The all-clear was issued at approximately 5:23 PM MDT after no explosive device was found.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
Pima Medical Institute - Denver
For Profit · CO
~500 students
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

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 ALERTUnknown
Approximate reconstruction266 chars
Pima Medical Institute Denver campus is on shelter-in-place. Law enforcement is responding to a bomb threat. All students and staff must evacuate the building immediately and proceed to designated relocation areas. Do not return to the building until further notice.

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

Reconstructed from 9NEWS and FOX31 Denver reporting; no official Pima Medical Institute alert archive was publicly accessible.
The Adams County Sheriff's Office received the initial call at approximately 3:37 PM MDT (UTC-6) on July 20, 2022.
This was the second bomb threat in the Denver metro area that same day -- the Colorado State Capitol was evacuated for a separate bomb threat earlier the same Wednesday.
ALL CLEARUnknown+1h 46m
Approximate reconstruction272 chars
Pima Medical Institute Denver campus is all-clear. The Adams County Sheriff's Office bomb squad and K-9 units have completed their sweep of the building and found nothing of concern. The shelter-in-place and perimeter have been lifted. Traffic closures have been reopened.

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

Reconstructed from FOX31 Denver report; the ACSO confirmed the scene was deemed safe at approximately 5:23 PM MDT on July 20, 2022.
The all-clear lifted a perimeter that had closed surrounding streets and businesses in addition to the school itself.
Context

Background

Pima Medical Institute is a for-profit allied-health career college with campuses across the United States, including a Denver location at 7475 Dakin Street in a commercial corridor of North Denver. The institution offers programs in radiologic technology, dental assisting, veterinary technology, and allied health fields. On July 20, 2022, the Adams County Sheriff's Office received a bomb threat at approximately 3:37 PM MDT targeting the Pima Medical Institute building. A shelter-in-place order was issued for the surrounding area, and students from the institute were escorted by law enforcement to Smokin' Dave's BBQ, a nearby restaurant, to await the all-clear. Students who needed rides were directed to meet family at the nearby 7-Eleven or Big O Tires on Pecos between El Paso Boulevard and Del Norte Street. The ACSO bomb squad and K-9 units swept the building and found nothing suspicious. At approximately 5:23 PM MDT, ACSO declared the scene safe and lifted all traffic closures and the shelter-in-place order. The incident was notable as the second bomb threat in the Denver metro area that day, following an earlier evacuation of the Colorado State Capitol building. The case illustrates how for-profit allied-health campuses, often located in commercial or industrial zones rather than traditional campus settings, are subject to the same bomb-threat risks as traditional colleges.
Analysis

Key Findings

Pima Medical Institute's for-profit allied-health campus in a commercial Denver neighborhood required a two-hour bomb squad sweep and shelter-in-place for staff and students
Students were relocated to a nearby restaurant during the sweep, reflecting the off-campus, commercial nature of the institution's surroundings
The incident was the second bomb threat in the Denver metro area on the same July 20, 2022 day, suggesting a possible pattern or copycat activity
The threat generated a full ACSO SWAT and bomb unit response comparable to threats at traditional university campuses
Outcome
No explosive device found. Students were relocated to Smokin' Dave's BBQ during the sweep. Shelter-in-place and perimeter lifted at approximately 5:23 PM MDT.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Shelter in place issued for bomb threat at Pima Medical Institute - 9NEWS
    9news.com
  2. News
    ACTIVE BOMB THREAT: Shelter-in-place lifted after bomb threat cleared at Pima Medical Institute - FOX31 Denver
    kdvr.com
  3. News
    Second bomb threat in Denver metro area in one-day forces a school to evacuate - KRDO
    krdo.com
  4. News
    Adams County bomb threat prompts shelter in place order - Denver7
    denver7.com
Tags
bomb-threatfor-profitallied-healthshelter-in-placedenvercoloradopima-medicalk9-sweepunfoundedadams-countyUnfounded
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion