At 10:45 AM on Jan. 12, students at Missouri Southern had just begun their first day of the spring semester when campus authorities received a bomb threat by email. An alert issued by MSSU authorities through the campus’ RAVE system instructed students located within the Spiva Library to evacuate to the Young Gymnasium immediately; students in other locations were told to shelter in place.  

Authorities from the greater Joplin area, including Joplin Police and a explosives detection K-9 from the Joplin Airport Police responded immediately. Students, faculty, and staff were ordered to shelter-in-place for about an hour, with campus social media accounts instructing students off campus to stay away. 

According to Spiva Library Director James Capeci, the threat was solely an online one, and the library did not contact the police department.  

“Our understanding is that the threat was made online, and it is not known to us by whom or where the threat originated,” said Capeci.  “We do not know [who contacted police], but it was not the library.” 

According to Capeci, library staff members stated that a University Police Department Officer arrived and began going floor-by-floor, asking students and employees to leave. Once told of the threat, Library employees also began ensuring patrons and library personnel were evacuated and accounted for. According to Capeci, there were likely 50 people in Spiva library at the time of the evacuation.  

The Joplin Airport Police K-9 unit was dispatched to the campus and conducted a search of the library. After a thorough search of the building, no traces of a bomb had been found.  

At 11:48 a.m., students and staff received an all-clear email from the campus alert system. They were told that there was no longer a threat and that they could go about their day as usual.  

Should any students need counseling regarding the threat on Monday, they can contact Counseling Services at 417-625-9559 or [email protected]