Campus Alert Archive
Regent

An 8 p.m. Bomb Threat Cleared Regent's Robertson Hall in Two Hours

VAbomb threatemergency notificationmedium confidence
UnfoundedNo evidence of an actual threat was found. The institutional response is documented because the alert communication is identical to what would occur during a real incident.

On the night of Monday, September 16, 2019, a bomb threat was reported around 8 p.m. at Regent University's Robertson Hall in Virginia Beach. Regent University police and the Virginia Beach Bomb Squad responded and evacuated the building while it was swept. No suspicious devices were found, and Robertson Hall reopened for normal operations around 10 p.m. EDT.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
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Institution
Regent University
Private R2 · VA
~10,657 studentsRegent Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction160 chars
Regent Alert: Robertson Hall is being evacuated due to a reported threat. Please leave the building immediately and stay clear of the area until further notice.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed text: WTKR reported that an email sent to a Regent student said the building was being evacuated, but did not quote the message verbatim, so this is paraphrased and marked unconfirmed.
Virginia Beach is on Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4) in September; the evacuation followed the ~8 p.m. threat report.
ALL CLEAREmail
Approximate reconstruction146 chars
Regent Alert: Robertson Hall has been searched and cleared by authorities. No devices were found. The building has reopened for normal operations.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed all-clear timed to the reported ~10 p.m. EDT reopening after the bomb squad's sweep found nothing.
This qualifies as an all-clear because it explicitly reopens the evacuated building and lifts the restriction.
Context

Background

Regent University is a private Christian university in Virginia Beach founded by Pat Robertson; its administrative and academic hub, Robertson Hall, houses the law school and other programs. On the night of September 16, 2019, a bomb threat was reported around 8 p.m. at Robertson Hall, prompting an evacuation. As 13News Now reported, Regent University police investigated alongside Virginia Beach authorities, and the Virginia Beach Bomb Squad cleared the building with no suspicious devices found. Robertson Hall reopened around 10 p.m. The incident sits within a broader history of bomb threats against Hampton Roads colleges, where multiple campuses have at times received similar threats.
Analysis

Key Findings

The threat targeted Robertson Hall, Regent's signature administrative and law-school building, rather than the whole campus
Regent University police and the Virginia Beach Bomb Squad jointly swept the building and found nothing
The building was evacuated around 8 p.m. and reopened roughly two hours later, near 10 p.m. EDT
Outcome
Campus police and the Virginia Beach Bomb Squad cleared Robertson Hall, found no suspicious devices, and reopened the building around 10 p.m. EDT. No injuries occurred.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Regent University building evacuated Monday after reported bomb threat - WTKR
    wtkr.com
  2. News
    Regent University police investigate bomb threat - 13News Now
    13newsnow.com
  3. Official
    Regent University Police Department
    regent.edu
Tags
bomb-threatevacuationchristian-universityvirginiarobertson-hallhampton-roadsUnfounded
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion