UPDATE 2:20 p.m.:
Suspect in custody
Cal Poly computer science graduate student Marcus Henry Karr, age 33, was taken into custody by police in connection to a bomb threat made on the No. 5 bus Wednesday morning, according to a San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLOPD) press release. Karr was taken into custody on campus at approximately 12:30 p.m. He is currently being held for questioning.
On Tuesday, someone identifying himself as Karr sent Mustang News a letter to the editor submission. The letter had no mention of Wednesday’s events, and instead discussed tolerance and sensitivity in modern society. The sender asked that it be noted as part of an ongoing performance arts piece “in the spirit of actor Shia LaBeouf.” The full text can be read below.
No bombs found, buses are running
According to the press release, no explosives were found in any of the City of San Luis Obispo buses.
The buses started running on their regular routes at 2 p.m., according to a SLO Transit alert. The alert also said that bus service will be free for the remainder of the day.
Video by Allison Royal and Daniel Park
Campus parking enforcement on campus lifted for remainder of day
In a follow-up email to the original Wednesday morning, provost Kathleen Enz Finken said on-campus parking enforcement will be lifted for the remainder of the day. She also reiterated there will be no negative consequences for students who were not able to make it to campus due to the threat.
Original post
All San Luis Obispo buses have stopped service after a bomb threat was made on the No. 5 bus Wednesday morning.
A Caucasian bearded man who appeared to be in his 20s boarded the bus going from downtown San Luis Obispo to the Christopher Cohan Performing Arts Center at around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, said computer science junior Eric Parella, who was on the bus at the time.
The man stood up once the bus reached Mill Street and announced that he was a performance artist like Shia LaBoeuf, Parella said. He then passed out fliers on a soon-coming apocalypse, containing phrases such as “To all you who worship the MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, do not be surprised that you have been lied to, since you serve the FATHER OF LIES.”
After the fliers had been passed out, the man told passengers there would likely be a bomb on another bus later in the day.
“He said, ‘Don’t panic, (but) I have reason to believe that there will be a bomb on one of these buses. Not this one, but I would avoid the buses today until I am proven wrong,'” Parella said.
The man repeated the threat of a bomb multiple times, and said it would come at a time when it would cause maximum damage, business administration senior Kaitlyn Henry said.
Watch a cell phone recording of the bomb threat below
Students, faculty and staff will be excused from class if they are unable to get to campus, provost Kathleen Enz Finken said in a university-wide email.
In a follow-up email, Finken stated there will be no negative consequences for students who were not able to make it to campus due to the threat. She also said on-campus parking enforcement will be lifted for the remainder of the day.
This post has been updated to include a video of student response, as well as Karr’s letter to the editor.
Celina Oseguera contributed to this article.