Called threat of suspicious objects prompts evacuations at COCC’s Bend, Redmond campuses; nothing was found

(Update: All-clear also at Redmond campus, nothing found)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Buildings on the Central Oregon Community College Bend and Redmond campuses were evacuated as a precaution Thursday afternoon due to a 911 call that threated suspicious objects at both locations. The call brought out police and the Oregon State Police bomb squad, but no such objects were found, authorities said.

Police responded after a call was received by Deschutes County 911 dispatchers shortly before 3 p.m. of suspicious objects at the two campuses, said Jenn Kovitz, the school’s director of marketing and public relations.

“Out of an abundance of caution,” Pence Hall on the Bend campus was evacuated, as were buildings on the Redmond campus, Kovitz said.

“Bend police went through the whole building, cleared it and found nothing suspicious,” she said. The same process occurred at the Redmond campus, concluding by 5:30 p.m. Thursday evening with an all-clear and nothing suspicious found.

An OSP spokeswoman said the agency’s Bomb Unit assisted Bend police with the threat of a suspicious object at COCC, but “nothing was found.”