Evergreen will remain closed Friday, college announces

The Evergreen State College will remain closed on Friday, college spokesman Zach Powers announced on the college’s website Thursday evening.

Evergreen was evacuated late Thursday morning after a direct threat to campus safety was made to Thurston County law enforcement.

Powers’ post says college officials were notified around 10:30 a.m. that a 911 call was received from an individual using an unknown phone number. The caller claimed to be armed and headed toward Evergreen’s campus in Olympia.

Law enforcement teams – including officers from the Washington State Patrol, Thurston County Sheriff’s Office and Olympia Police Department – were stationed throughout campus while students, staff and faculty left the campus, and while parents picked up children from the school’s daycare center.

Officers searched the campus and determined there was no active threat on Thursday, though Evergreen Police Services is in contact with the FBI purusing further information.

During a press conference Thursday afternoon, Evergreen vice president for college relations Sandra Kaiser said the school hopes to resume its normal schedule as soon as possible.

Law enforcement will remain present at all hours to ensure the safety of resident students, Powers’ post said.

“There are various moving parts right now,” Kaiser said Thursday afternoon. “There are some resident students that are in their dorms. They are with college staff, and law enforcement is there as well. We’re waiting to see how the situation is going to resolve.”

Evergreen’s campus has about 4,000 students and 800 faculty and staff members.