8:30 PM UPDATE: Cornell University has lifted the evacuation alert involving a bomb threat that campus police received on Sunday afternoon.  

According to the University’s website, around 2:00 PM the 911 dispatch for Tompkins County had gotten a call from someone who had claimed to be in one of the buildings. The person told the emergency center that they had an automatic weapon and that explosives had been placed in multiple academic buildings. The dispatch center immediately notified Cornell University’s Campus Police Department.  

While investigating, the Cornell University Police Department issued multiple notifications including a shelter in place order and an evacuation order for several campus buildings including the law school and the arts quad. 

In a statement from the University, “We are relieved to report that this threat appears to have been a hoax. A cruel hoax; but, thankfully, just a hoax. The University has now resumed its normal operations.” 

Cornell University and several other universities experienced similar hoaxes. Cornell University said that they would work closely with investigators as they determine if there is a link between the hoaxes.

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5:30PM UPDATE: Cornell Police are conducting sweeps of several buildings on campus. Additional law enforcement is on scene from several additional agencies, including New York State Police. People should continue to avoid central campus as the investigation continues. 

WENY News will have a live report ahead on WENY News at 6. 

Columbia University has been cleared by NYPD, and the threat at the campus in New York City deemed not credible. 


4:15PM UPDATE: Cornell Police have set up a security perimeter as authorities continue to investigate a bomb threat. People should avoid central campus.


ITHACA, NY (WENY) -- Several buildings on Cornell University's Ithaca campus are evacuated at this hour, and the public is being asked to avoid central campus after police received reports of bombs in the buildings. 

According to a safety alert from Cornell, people are urged to evacuate and avoid the Law School, Goldwin Smith, Upson Hall, Kennedy Hall and neighboring areas. Police say do not call Cornell PD unless you have an emergency.

The first alert went out just after 2:15PM. The first public report referring to bombs was posted about an hour later by Cornell Police. No other information has been shared. 

CBS2 in New York has also reported that at least one building is being evacuated at Columbia's campus in New York City. At Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, the student-run newspaper, the Brown Daily Herald is reporting multiple buildings are currently being evacuated due to bomb threats. 

WENY News has reached out to the university's media relations, which says it has no information to share at this time. A WENY News reporter is on the way to Ithaca - check back for updates as on this developing story,