Campus Alert Archive
UTSA

Back-to-Back Bomb Threats Emptied UTSA's Library and Humanities Building in 24 Hours

TXbomb 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 April 17, 2017, the University of Texas at San Antonio evacuated the John Peace Library after a non-specific bomb threat, reopening the building less than an hour later when no device was found. Less than 24 hours later a second threat targeted the McKinney Humanities building, prompting UTSA to engage the FBI and San Antonio police. Both threats were determined to be non-credible.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
The University of Texas at San Antonio
Public R2 · TX
UTSA Alert
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 ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstruction131 chars
UTSA Alert: The John Peace Library has been evacuated due to a bomb threat. Avoid the area until further notice. Updates to follow.

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

The exact timestamp of the initial alert is not established in available reporting, so an approximate description is used rather than a fabricated precise time.
The library was repopulated less than an hour after the threat after UTSAPD and SAPD searched and found nothing, per the police chief quoted by KENS 5.
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstructionReconstructed from KENS 5 update on library reopening125 chars
UTSA Alert: The John Peace Library has been searched and cleared. The building has reopened and normal activities may resume.

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

This message reopens the building, making it a genuine all-clear rather than a status update.
A separate threat the next day at the McKinney Humanities building triggered its own evacuation and all-clear, documented by KENS 5 as part of the same pair of incidents.
Context

Background

The University of Texas at San Antonio is one of the largest Hispanic-Serving Institutions in the country, with a predominantly Latino student body. On April 17, 2017, a non-specific bomb threat forced the evacuation of the John Peace Library, the university's main library on the Main Campus. UTSAPD and the San Antonio Police Department searched the building and reopened it in under an hour after finding nothing. Less than 24 hours later, a second threat targeted the McKinney Humanities building, and the university's student newspaper, The Paisano, reported that UTSA engaged the FBI alongside SAPD to try to identify whoever was behind the back-to-back threats. Both threats were ultimately deemed not credible, but the pair illustrated how a large urban HSI manages rapid-fire building evacuations.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    UPDATE: John Peace Library at UTSA reopened after bomb threat - KENS 5
    kens5.com
  2. News
    Bomb threat forces evacuation of UTSA library, school says threat non-credible - News 4 San Antonio
    news4sanantonio.com
  3. Student Paper
    UTSA engages with FBI after back-to-back bomb threats - The Paisano
    paisano-online.com
Tags
bomb-threatevacuationlibraryhispanic-serving-institutionhsitexassan-antonionon-credibleemergency-notificationUnfounded
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion