In a tense afternoon on the Logan campus, Utah State University ordered an immediate evacuation of its historic Old Main building after reports of a suspicious package surfaced. This incident unfolded on September 30, just hours before a scheduled Turning Point USA event, the first such gathering since the shocking killing of the organization's founder, Charlie Kirk, earlier in the month. Students and staff were urged to exit promptly, leaving behind non-essentials as police swarmed the area.
Law enforcement acted quickly, with the bomb squad on site to assess the threat. Indeed, out of an abundance of caution, they detonated the device near the building's exterior. The controlled explosion echoed across the quad, drawing witnesses who described hearing a sharp "fire in the hole" warning before the blast. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the campus breathed a collective sigh of relief when the all-clear was issued about an hour later.
However, the real story emerged the next day: the so-called suspicious package was nothing more than a misplaced wildlife telemetry collar, an educational tool used in undergraduate field research classes. A university employee had left it there for a practical lesson in tracking wildlife, but its unusual placement—complete with GPS signals and antennas—raised alarms in these heightened security times. University officials praised the quick-thinking students who first spotted and reported it, emphasizing that vigilance like this prevents potential disasters.
The timing couldn't have been worse, or perhaps more telling. With Turning Point USA's event drawing extra security measures across campus—including increased patrols and bag checks—the detonation underscored the fragile atmosphere on college grounds these days. Extra precautions were in place not just for the speech but amid broader concerns following Kirk's death, which has fueled debates over campus safety and free speech. The event proceeded as planned that evening, though under a cloud of unease.
Ellis Bruch, the executive director for USU Public Safety, captured the sentiment: better safe than sorry isn't just a cliché. As universities navigate these turbulent waters, one can't help but wonder how many more false alarms will test the limits of preparedness before something truly breaks through.