As I’m sure you’ve heard1, the Biological Sciences Building at UBC was locked down due to a “police incident” yesterday. They still aren’t saying exactly what the threat was, although apparently it was “specific and contained a deadline.”
I first heard about it through an email from my Faculty (since I teach at UBC this term, I get all their department- and faculty-wide emails), then very soon saw a flurry of comments about it on Twitter2. Then I heard it in the mainstream media.
I was just checking out this entry on the situation on Now Public, written by a UBC grad student who was looked in the building at the time, which contained information such as “a swat team with complete tactical gear has entered the building (with fully automatic assault rifles), assailiant might have a gun” and “Students in my office are currently playing pictionary…team 2 is winning.” Thankfully, everyone got out OK, but now I am wondering who won the game of pictionary.
Also, I’m feeling kinda like the queen of being next door to bad stuff. The Bio Sci Building is next door to the Nutrition building (where I did my Ph.D. and for whom I currently teach), although I wasn’t there at the time or anything. And a few weeks ago there was a shooting at a restaurant downtown and I was close enough that I heard the shots. Freaky.
1Well, if you are in Canada. I don’t expect my American readers heard about this. Or even know what a UBC is. And Canada is the big country just north of you, FYI. 😉
2I also first heard about Heath Ledger’s death on Twitter.
Not that I don’t already love Twitter, but I’m glad it’s useful for something 🙂
And I honestly do love your frequent updates because it gives me something to read when I’m procrastinating.
r. 🙂