Powder at University Found to Be Sugar

A white powder that an apparently distraught student at the University of Missouri-Rolla said was anthrax turned out to be powdered sugar, The Kansas City Star reported yesterday (see GSN, Feb. 27).

The unidentified student, reported to be depressed over poor grades, said yesterday he was carrying anthrax and threatened to blow up the university’s civil engineering building yesterday.  Police used a stun gun to end the standoff.

Authorities found no explosives in the building.  Tests of the white substance found in the building determined that it was sugar rather than anthrax.

“We do not feel this is a terrorist threat of any type,” acting Rolla Police Chief Mark Kearse said.  “It’s one individual on a personal vendetta for his particular reasons.

“We feel comfortable it’s not going to be a serious situation as far as what we’re going to find,” he added.

Twenty-three people were quarantined temporarily following exposure to the material.  They showed no signs of sickness and were released yesterday.

Charges were expected to be filed yesterday against the student (Kevin Murphy, The Kansas City Star, Feb. 27).

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