Tuesday bomb scare at GBCC forces evacuation of Lilac Mall

Harrison Thorp 8:48 a.m.


Tuesday bomb scare at GBCC forces evacuation of Lilac Mall

ROCHESTER - Rochester was not spared during Tuesday's widespread bomb scares targeting institutions of higher learning across the state.
Rochester dispatchers received a call around 12:55 p.m. from a person who claimed they were in the IT room at Great Bay Community College in the Lilac Mall and had found a bomb.
The caller said they found it "under the desk" and "it had wires coming from the device," according to dispatch notes.
At least two fire truck, an ambulance, a fire command vehicle and five police officers responded to the scene.
The individual who called in said he was standing outside in the parking, but soon after hung up.
Responding officers blocked the entrance to the mall and did evacuations from all stores, including Hannaford.
Later it was confirmed with GBCC security that the person named during the initial call into dispatch was not an employee.
The New Hampshire Department of Safety on Tuesday announced it was investigating reports of multiple bomb threats at various colleges and universities across the state.
An investigation revealed that the same phone number was used to make bomb threats to some 10 higher education facilities across New Hampshire. The caller, who may be from overseas, appears to have used a spoofed number, DOS officials said.