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The University Police Department evacuated the Creative Arts Building due to a bomb threat Monday morning. Students were allowed back into the building directly after UPD removed a black Converse shoebox from the premises. Although there is no official confirmation, the shoebox is believed to be the suspicious object.

@SFState_News tweeted “UPD reports bomb threat in Creative Arts bldg. Evacuation under way. Stay away from area,” at approximately 9:19 a.m.

Talia Hart, freshman was inside the building when the evacuation began.

“I was just sitting in class waiting for it to start and a guy just came in and said, ‘we need to be evacuated,’” the communications major said. The man was not in uniform.

Students were warned to stay away from the building by police as a “blast ordnance” was set up, Hart said. Across from the building on Holloway Avenue, a group of students and faculty had gathered. That’s where Hart spoke with her professor about the evacuation.

“My professor said that there was a suspicious object and they were calling in a bomb squad, and class was most likely cancelled,” she said.

Alex Carey, 19, was walking to his class when he saw a rush of people exiting the building.

“I was trying to go inside the building to go to my bio 322 class and I hadn’t got in when people were starting to be evacuated,” Carey said.

Nan Broadbent, assistant director of university communications explained why the alarm system we hear every Tuesday on campus, or the emergency phone, was not used.

“Things were moving really fast. The situation was unfolding and resolved faster than (it would take to deploy the phone system),” Broadbent said.

Golden Gate Xpress made a call to the FBI, but didn’t get a response. We will continue to update this story as it develops.

Update: 1:07 p.m.

The automated SFSU ALERT system dispatched an email with the subject heading, “Bomb threat hoax,” along with a phone call telling the SF State community that the Creative Arts Building was clear, at 10:15 a.m. on Monday, April 22. The students were allowed back into the building and classes are to continue as scheduled.

Joe Fitzgerald contributed to this report