A bomb threat at Oregon State University caused a stir among authorities on Wednesday when a prankster reportedly claimed that a bomb had been planted in one of the 75 automated delivery robots set to come to campus.
“Bomb threat to Starship’s food delivery robots. Do not open the robots. Avoid all robots until further notice. “Public safety is responding,” Oregon State University (OSU) warned Wednesday in a post that was viewed more than 2.4 million times on X, the New York Post reported.
Urgent OSU Alert: Starship Food Delivery Robot Bomb Threat. Do not open robot. Avoid all robots until further notice. Public safety responds.
— Oregon State University (@OregonState) October 24, 2023
By midday on Wednesday, the university had received news that a pipe bomb had allegedly been planted in one of its six-wheeled automatic delivery robots, which have been traveling around the 500-acre campus since 2020 to deliver food to students and staff, the American media said.
According to a situation update released shortly afterwards, the 75 Starship aircraft were quickly located and isolated “in a safe location” to be thoroughly inspected.
The warning was eventually lifted after a student admitted it was just a bad joke on his part. He was reportedly arrested by the university’s public security department.
“Although the student later said it was a joke and a hoax, Starship has suspended the service,” the company confirmed in a statement, adding that it would resume later in the day.