Bomb squad clears suspicious package found near UF's Turlington Plaza

Alan Festo, The Gainesville Sun
·1 min read
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The University of Florida Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad investigate a suspicious package found in Turlington Plaza on Thursday afternoon in Gainesville.
The University of Florida Police Department and the Alachua County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad investigate a suspicious package found in Turlington Plaza on Thursday afternoon in Gainesville.

A portion of Turlington Plaza on the University of Florida campus blocked off by police has been reopened after a suspicious package was found Thursday morning on the first floor of Turlington Hall, according to a tweet by UF Alert.

The Alachua County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad identified the device as research material, according to the social media post. Normal operations in the area have resumed.

"We did it out of an abundance of caution," said UF spokeswoman Cynthia Roldan, regarding the use of the bomb squad.

It's unclear whether the package is related to the antisemitic messages found written in chalk on campus earlier this week. One of the messages said, "Ye is right 2/2/23." Rapper Ye, also known as Kanye West, has been embroiled in controversy since October for repeated antisemitic remarks on television and social media, which include him saying that he "loves" Adolf Hitler and denying the Holocaust happened.

"We cannot make a determination at this time," Roldan said of a possible connection. "The investigation is ongoing."

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: ACSO, UPD investigating suspicious package on UF campus