Classes will resume at Southwestern Community College Monday evening after a sheriff’s office investigation found no danger following a bomb threat earlier Monday morning.
Around 8:45 a.m., the campus was evacuated and students, teachers and community members were encouraged to stay away.
The campus was considered closed from about 9 a.m. to just after noon, SCC Director of Public Relations Tyler Goode confirmed.
Jackson County Sheriff's Office shared that the school had received a bomb threat.
"There are no active threats at this time. Jackson County Sheriff's Office is continuing to search buildings thoroughly to include searching with an explosive detection K-9 from Western Carolina University Police Department," Jackson County Sheriff's Office stated in a press release just after 9 a.m.
Just after noon, SCC announced that the Sheriff’s office had given the “all clear” after a full sweep was completed with specialized K-9 units. Classes will resume this evening.
“We are grateful to all law enforcement officers and first responders who promptly arrived on campus and made sure everyone was safe,” SCC’s President Dr. Don Tomas, SCC’s President said in a press release. “Our college is thankful to these public safety professionals for their dedication and quick action. The safety of our students and employees continues to be our highest priority at Southwestern.”
Jackson Early College, which is on the SCC Jackson Campus, said on Facebook that their students were moved after the threat.
"All JCEC students will be transported to the Department on Aging located at 100 County Services Park, Sylva, NC. Parents will need to pick up their children at the Department on Aging. No students will be transported home by bus," JEC wrote on Facebook before 9 a.m.
The investigation into the bomb threat is ongoing.
The regional community college has campuses in Macon, Swain and Jackson counties as well as the Qualla Boundary.
