Last Wednesday, crime labs in Jackson, Tenn., said the seven anthrax scares at The University of Memphis have been confirmed false. Over the past two weeks, the Meeman Journalism building, College of Communication and Fine Arts building, Richardson Towers, the Student Health Center, Ball Hall, Fogelman College of Business and the Engineering building all reported possible cases of anthrax, shutting down the buildings for several hours.
Curt Guenther, assistant director of media relations, said while all seven cases were confirmed negative, he said all but one incident appeared accidental.
“Several looked like accidents, but in the Engineering Building, it looks like a hoax,” said Guenther.
Guenther said the case in the Engineering Building appears to be deliberate because the unknown substance was found in several different locations of the building.
According to Bruce Harber, associate director of Public Safety, the test results did not confirm what the powdery substances collected across campus actually were. Harber also said the results will not be available in the near future because of the number of tests being conducted in other cases across Western Tennessee.
“If caught for an anthrax hoax, the FBI will prosecute them to the fullest and they could serve a minimum of five years,” Harber said.
