A bomb threat was reported at the University of Virginia (UVA) Shannon Library Friday morning, prompting the evacuation of the building, according to WRIC ABC8 News.
On March 13 at 10:49 a.m. (local time), the UVA Department of Safety and Security issued an emergency alert regarding the library, located at 160 McCormick Road.
At 11:16 a.m., University Police confirmed they were on the scene investigating the threat and evacuating both Shannon Library and Clemons Library. Authorities advised the public to stay out of the area.
“University police are on scene investigating. Both Shannon and Clemons libraries have been evacuated. University operations remain normal outside of Shannon and Clemons,” UVA’s Department of Safety and Security said on X.
About the University of Virginia
The University of Virginia (UVA) is located in Charlottesville, Virginia.
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The University of Virginia has six primary libraries. Shannon Library specializes in the social sciences and humanities and also houses government documents, a Tibetan collection and reference resources, according to the university’s website. Clemons Library, on the other hand, contains the Robertson Media Center, as well as the Georges Student Center.
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Shooting at Old Dominion University
The threat at the University of Virginia on Friday comes amid heightened tensions in the state after the shooting at Old Dominion University in Norfolk just a day earlier. The incident left one person dead and two others injured. The two injured victims were also members of the military, according to Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, according to Newsweek.
One of the victims, previously hospitalized in critical condition, has now improved to normal, according to Sentara Health, while the other has been treated and released.
The deceased victim was Lt. Col. Brandon Shah, 42, of Chesapeake, who is survived by his wife and child, the U.S. Army Cadet Command at Old Dominion said in a social media post, the AP reported.
According to his biography on the university’s website, Shah attended Old Dominion University as an ROTC student and returned in 2022 to serve as the program’s leader. During his military career, he flew helicopters on missions over Iraq, Afghanistan and Eastern Europe.
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On Friday morning, in honor of his close friend Shah, Eddie Flack poured a bottle of Wild Turkey onto the lawn near the flagpoles across from Constant Hall on campus. Flack, also from Chesapeake, said he and Shah formed a strong friendship while attending ODU.
The FBI has identified 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh as the suspect who was killed during the shooting.
Jalloh, who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his involvement with the Islamic State group, was released from federal custody in December 2024 and placed on supervised release, which is similar to probation. The reason for his early release is unknown. Although prisoners can receive a reduced sentence for various reasons, it has not been confirmed whether this was the case in his situation.
At a press conference Thursday, a reporter asked FBI Special Agent in Charge Dominique Evans in Norfolk if there had been any mention of the ongoing war in Iran. She replied, “No way.” The US and Israel launched military action against Iran with missile strikes on February 28. The shooter also had military experience; Jalloh, a naturalized American citizen from Sierra Leone, served as a specialist in the Virginia Army National Guard from 2009 until his honorable discharge in 2015.
FBI Director Kash Patel said Thursday that the agency is investigating the incident as an act of terrorism.
