Pantagraph.com | News | Lockdown ends at State Farm; sighting was of custodian

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

Chuck Olnaldi wrote on Jul 12, 2008 4:41 PM:

" To avoid this type of thing from happening again, may I suggest that all pipe be painted orange so no one is confused. "

Sweetcheeks wrote on Jul 10, 2008 8:08 AM:

" Realist: very well said

Paladin:
Get over it. "

tatbtime wrote on Jul 10, 2008 12:00 AM:

" hindsight is always 20/20 "

Realist wrote on Jul 9, 2008 10:12 PM:

" Someone needs to be held accountable. Let's get to the bottom of this by putting a committee together. We need answers from everyone involved in this situation and not leave any stone unturned. Or we can stop making a big freak'n deal out of NOTHING and get on with life. I know which one I will choose, geez people, get over and move on, life is too short. "

Paladin wrote on Jul 9, 2008 7:54 PM:

" ...I'm sorry, did someone mention "quality" and "DHS" in the same sentence? Now THAT'S funny... "

Sweetcheeks wrote on Jul 9, 2008 10:15 AM:

" Since this is not New York you can't expect a security team of the quality of DHS. I think they all did just fine. So too all the officers that were there and the security at SF..THANK YOU!!!! "

Deputy Dog wrote on Jul 9, 2008 9:46 AM:

" This is the police in McLean County at its best. This is why I'm proud to be a police officer, Great job to the police officers who helped. Keep up the good work!!! "

Paladin wrote on Jul 9, 2008 8:12 AM:

" ..."Sweetcheeks", I think the rank and file would like to see a competent, well-trained security force, rather than the junior-league human resources building attendants that they have. They won't get it, but they can dream. To "amazed2", police have their own agendas and protocols to play out, which do not include spending too much time jaw-jacking with the security folk. One phone call, prior to DHS deployment, could have saved a lot of money. "

Sweetcheeks wrote on Jul 9, 2008 7:53 AM:

" Take your political bashing elsewhere. "

The Cat wrote on Jul 8, 2008 6:51 PM:

" ES: I happen to know the difference between a pipe and a gun. Apparently you don’t know the difference between Bubba seeing terrorists in fundamentalist Christian sects like Branch Dividians, who never attacked anyone but were massacred by Reno and crew, and Bush recognizing the threat of islamic nut jobs that killed more than 3000 American and foreign nationals here on 9/11 and abroad. "

Carebear89 wrote on Jul 8, 2008 10:51 AM:

" Amazed2: If this was a real event and if the security personelle did what u are suggesting there would be a good chance that many people could have been hurt or killed while they checked to see if what someone saw was true. And when the rampage is finished authorities will be asking why the action of removing employees wasn't done sooner, they would reply "we were reviewing the survillence because we wanted to make sure this wasn't a hoax" Sorry, but things just don't happen that way.

Good job State Farm! It's better to be safe than sorry!! "

anchor wrote on Jul 7, 2008 10:08 PM:

" To Amazed - I am Amazed you can muster the courage to get out of bed every day. I have worked at a handful of places (including State Farm), NONE of which had the level of security that SF does. Security ranked from nothing to next to nothing. Your statement that you NEVER felt safe working in B/N at an insurance company with above average security speaks volumes about your insecurities and less about State Farm's ability to protect you. My guess is, if SF monted automated M-16s in every corner of the building inside and out, you would still get a little scared because the cameras in the bathrooms don't cover the stalls. "

amazed2 wrote on Jul 7, 2008 2:10 PM:

" Let me clarify my earlier post...Tom and Sweet helped me see I could have said it differently.

IF there had, in fact, been a person walking along the east side of the building with a gun over their shoulder, I would have hoped SF security would have called the police and taken control before any passerby could even think about calling.

But since there was no such thing happening, when the police did tell SF what had been reported, I would have hoped SF security could have said...hang on...let us replay our videotapes real quick before we panic. Then they could have said within a matter of seconds...no...that was one of our people with a pipe over his shoulder. Tell the caller thanks for caring...but no problems here.

I still think all of this panic could have been avoided if those cameras were being monitored "professionally." "

drewman wrote on Jul 7, 2008 1:10 PM:

" FYI: Even if Illinois had CCW, it would not have mattered. According to the SF manual, firearms are prohibited on SF grounds. Yes, a person with a CCW could have legally carried a weapon to SF, but they take a chance on being fired because of it. "

cocoa wrote on Jul 7, 2008 1:04 PM:

" Nicole99511 - Everything isn't all about you, Nicole, no matter how much you seem to keep trying to make it so. "

Sweetcheeks wrote on Jul 7, 2008 10:46 AM:

" Amazed:

you wrote-
IF A PERSON WITH A GUN WAS WALKING NEAR THE BUILDING, WHY DID THEIR SECURITY NOT KNOW IT BEFORE ANY PASSER-BY JUST BY MONITORING THEIR SECURITY CAMS???Is anyone even watching those cameras?

You think it may be because it WASNT a gun? "

bookerc wrote on Jul 7, 2008 10:12 AM:

" I'm just imagining how differently this could have gone down if people were "sheltered in place" or if people had CCW. The police & swat teams would be searching the building for a gunman, and meanwhile lots of adrenaline-packed people are hiding in every cubby, bathroom stall, and desk. They don't know if the people searching are the police or the gunman. They are on hair-trigger response, expecting to be attacked. The police are on edge, expecting a shooter around every corner. How easy would it be for someone to get shot, thinking it was the perp, when it was just a panicked employee running for cover or trying to defend themselves with whatever they had at hand? And how much worse would it be if all those hidden, terrified, or maybe macho jerks with something to prove actually DID have guns, and each thought the other was the attacker? This could have been such a bloodbath.

I am pro-gun rights, and agree that there are circumstances where concealed carry are warranted, but can see how this situation could have been disastrous if many employees were armed. "

Sweetcheeks wrote on Jul 7, 2008 8:47 AM:

Sweetcheeks wrote on Jul 7, 2008 8:34 AM:

Sweetcheeks wrote on Jul 7, 2008 8:31 AM:

" Ok, the SF security bashing needs to stop. What do you expect them to do announce over the intercom there is a nut running lose with a gun? I was there and I saw nothing wrong with the way it was handled. By the time the announcment was made we all knew about the reported gun sighting anyways. I would have much reather dealt with how it was handled than to have them not say anything and turn around just to be staring down the barrel of a rifle because they guy came into my work area. "

Nicole99511 wrote on Jul 7, 2008 1:00 AM:

" Why don't any of my comments get posted? I don't say anything mean or different than these other bloggers, in fact my comments are alot nicer than some of the ones that do make it. I did a post on the house fire on Morris and it did appear but then was removed. One of the relatives replied to it so I know it was there and now it is gone. Maybe this one will make it. "

cocoa wrote on Jul 6, 2008 9:21 PM:

" To middle of the road - cite your facts.

To Anchor - we actually agree on something for a change! Yours was a great post.

For anyone who wants CCW permitted in the workplace, let's just think about what would happen when one of your co-workers annoys you, or you annoy one of your co-workers. How many of you "macho" people would be tempted to pull out a gun just to "scare" someone? I'm pro-gun but having people toting guns in a workplace where there can be so many acrimonious relationships between co-workers is just asking for trouble. "

Geez! wrote on Jul 5, 2008 8:20 PM:

" Is State Farm such a dirty place that the sight of a janitor causes such panic? "

Tom Terrific wrote on Jul 5, 2008 6:19 PM:

" To amazed, it wasn't a person with a gun. It was an employee with a pipe. In order for it to be a gun, it would have to have a few parts added to it. "

justmythoughts wrote on Jul 5, 2008 1:46 PM:

" The amount of angst against State Farm within some of you just astounds me. Perhaps counseling should be considered, it's just not healthy to carry that around with you every day! "

amazed wrote on Jul 5, 2008 12:26 PM:

" I worked at State Farm Corporate for many years. I never felt safe. From "disturbed" employees walking around, to illegal entry without badges, to loose checking of "visitors," you never knew who might do what. After 9/11, they fortressed the building on the outside and put in lots of cameras. But through it all, they have an "amateur" security force protecting thousands of people. It does not work. They are a Top 50 Fortune Company; they need to get a security force to match.

IF A PERSON WITH A GUN WAS WALKING NEAR THE BUILDING, WHY DID THEIR SECURITY NOT KNOW IT BEFORE ANY PASSER-BY JUST BY MONITORING THEIR SECURITY CAMS???Is anyone even watching those cameras?

They may be the best in insurance and financial services, but they have a long ways to go in protecting their employees. Yet another saga in "Little Corporation on the Prairie!" "

Mike wrote on Jul 5, 2008 11:41 AM:

" The sad part of this story is a company has to have procedures to address these kind of potential events. Simple, but sad. "

justaperson wrote on Jul 5, 2008 8:43 AM:

" Yep.... Metcom vs. Bloomington's own dispatchers... I spoke genericly, I guess... Sorry, old habits die hard. Several of the original Metcom dispatchers jumped ship for Bloomington when they broke off. I called it by the wrong name. Specifics are... the dispatch repeatedly failed to acknowlege or answer eagle units on that channel far more than they shuld have. "

monkey71 wrote on Jul 5, 2008 7:35 AM:

" I would say to SF- NICE JOB, I do not work there but work next door. Please look at it again, anyone could have been a victim if this was real- someone at SF, someone at a nearby business, or a driver going down veteran's. They did what was needed. They used tornado drill- what were they supposed to say- "there is a man with a gun in the building"? Nice job SF! "

the dispeptic skeptic wrote on Jul 5, 2008 6:28 AM:

" You people are completely missing the point. Staffers were sent to the basement, because the information stated the guy was in the tower. It is much easier to search for a perpetrator in an empty building than one full of people - it is much safer for the employees to be away from all of the guns if there is going to be a shootout.
Additionally, we live in a CNN world, where we expect instant analysis, but when an incident is unfolding, and action plans are being implemented, it takes some time to analyze the situation, react to it, and contain it, before information can be disseminated to employees. Could things have been done better? Yes. They can always be done better... and The Farm will undoubtedly be having many meetings over this one to improve processes. "

ONLY IN AMERICA wrote on Jul 5, 2008 3:48 AM:

" TO: justaperson - Metcom shouldn't have to listen to ERU channel Bloomington has their own dispatch center remember....

Sit back in your armchair and listen to your scanner more intently maybe you'll figure it out someday... "

INFONUT wrote on Jul 4, 2008 7:15 PM:

" TO JUST A PERSON: Wrong dispatch agency. Bloomington has their own. "

OC wrote on Jul 4, 2008 4:59 PM:

" Shelter in place...at schools basically means lock the classroom doors. At SF you have cubicles without doors. Most rooms don't have locks. Try again. "

OC wrote on Jul 4, 2008 4:50 PM:

" Jarhead...did you stay at a Holiday Inn Express? Police were inside the building by 4:15. How about the shelter be at your house? "

justaperson wrote on Jul 4, 2008 3:50 PM:

" To: pantagraph reader.... Why do you think my comment was rude? Had you actually listened to the two primary frequencies used within this response, in addition to at least the County's chatter, you would know what I'm referring to. This runs the gammut from them trying to shoo the ESDA boys away (in the way as usual), through plain and clear examples of Eagle units not knowing what each other were doing, clear through Metcom not paying attention to the primary ERU channel at all far more than an acceptable amount. Pantagraph Reader, I am entitled to my opinion, as are you and all others on this blog. My opinion was based upon observation of radio traffic and other protocols (or should I say, a breakdown in protocols). Your opinion that I was "rude" was based upon what??? What do you have to back that up??? "

Blackneto wrote on Jul 4, 2008 3:50 PM:

" I hope whomever is reviewing this incident for SF knows what Jarhead71 is referring to. Heck they even Shelter in Place at schools when there is an issue. "

ES wrote on Jul 4, 2008 2:20 PM:

" To Cat. your president, your war, your guns; not mine. I figured you would shoot the Janitor on sight. "

jm2 wrote on Jul 4, 2008 1:58 PM:

" I say thank you to the passer-by who reported what he/she thought to be a possible threat. I say thank you to all the law enforcement who responded. I say thank you to the people in charge of carrying out their response to make the employees safe. I say thank you that this was a false alarm (it could have been the real thing given all the psychos in this world). And lastly, I say to all the negative posters . . . get that State Farm chip off your shoulders. It's weighing you down! "

clowns scare me wrote on Jul 4, 2008 1:04 PM:

" i can't believe people think that our govt wants us to be paranoid. It is the terrorist that cause us to be paranoid. I honestly think it was a employ of country companies "

PantyGrapher wrote on Jul 4, 2008 12:56 PM:

" Geezzz....so you can dress casual but can't bring a pipe to work??? Come on SF, lighten up. Where were the SF badge police at?? The custodian would have been able to be anyhwere near there if he wasn't wearing his SF badge. (Or if he was in 2 hour parking) "

History Alum wrote on Jul 4, 2008 12:38 PM:

" Considering the fact that a gunman recently killed several people in a workplace shooting at that plastics plant in Pennsylvania... it's not that far-fetched nor a waste of tax-payer dollars to respond to a situation like this. Get real people. This response would have happened if it had been any of the bigger businesses in town (Mitsubishi, Country, either University, etc). Smaller businesses would have resulted in a slightly smaller response, only because it takes less people to secure and search a smaller building. Corporate is a BIG building. "

Paladin wrote on Jul 4, 2008 12:19 PM:

" Wackenhut at State Farm is a joke because that is what State Farm wants. They don't want trained security staff with response capabilities, they want junior-level human resources functions and mail delivery (for inter-campus, which the robots can't do yet). The "in-house" security staff are far from a joke, they are quite capable and experienced, well-trained, and effective. Unfortunately, their primary job is protecting the big-wigs, not in responding to an alleged incident like this one. Sadly, Homeland Security personnel aren't going to listen too much to any private personnel, because the DHS people have their own program to follow. Hut, hut... "

protohooman wrote on Jul 4, 2008 12:06 PM:

" Now that we know how and how many police would respond to a "man with a gun" at state farm it should be much easier for nut cases, terrorists or whoever to plan an attack. Thanks to you for your complete coverage pantagraph. "

2cents wrote on Jul 4, 2008 11:38 AM:

" Part 2 - Thank the caller who I beleive did the right thing - thanks for the opporuntiy to put safety in focus and fix gaps. SF security did what they could with what they appeared to have known and the Police and Homeland Security folks responded well, with what they knew. I, for one, thank everyone for their due diligence, responsibily and caring. It's 4th of July weekend - who knows what was really a threat.

And to all negatory comments about this being State Farm, this could have been real and PEOPLE could have gotten hurt, not "FARMERS" - moms, dads, sons and daughters. Besides, no one knew what was real anyway - this could have been a threat to drivers on our busy Veterens Parkway instead of to the SF corporate building - YOU use that road everyday too. So stop the ugliness. "

2cents wrote on Jul 4, 2008 11:38 AM:

" Part 1 - Why do I read this stuff - anonymous blogging has made us all know-it-alls. Placing blame in this situation is just plain lazy - we're all good corporate citizens and all need to self-reflect on our reaction to this. Improve from this lesson - we ALL clearly can.

I was working at Corp. South at the time and yes, I watch the weather radar during the day - I suspected some sort of error or false alarm and kept working - right or wrong. But I think this was handled as well as a mistake/false alarm could have been handled. No one got trampled escaping due to a more alarming security announcement, the janitor didn't get hurt, and an all clear was announced as soon as it was determined to be a mistake. Even the media did some good here - just read this blog string - people were connected and communicating via this very news publication before it was even over. "

anchor wrote on Jul 4, 2008 10:52 AM:

" What a bunch of State Farm haters!! I worked at SF for 5 years. I know there are a lot of really cool people there. There are also a handful of complete jerks. Then there is everyone inbetween. Just like at your job. Take a look around your job and you'll see there are real jerks that work there. If you cannot spot the jerk....guess what, it's you. Think of where this community would be if SF pulled up tents and left. Just because they won't hire you isn't a reason to act like SF is the devil and some how deserves poor treatment. Grow up. "

middle of the road wrote on Jul 4, 2008 10:42 AM:

" Dave
Lets not forget the qoute " those that are willing to give up freedom, for the illusion of security. deserve neither "

middle of the road wrote on Jul 4, 2008 10:38 AM:

" big daddy
I suppose on one hand you could say that all of that is provided by the Employer. Yet it is really provided for by the people that pay for insurance. A state mandated market. BTW all on top of the multiple millions Big Daddy Rust takes home every year. All while millions of people struggle to pay their constantly increasing premiums. Then to add insult to injury, we see the preferential treatment that the employees receive compared to the rest of the community. The poor are insuring themselves only to meet state mandates. so they too can go to work. all to protect the wealthys wealth. "

boba133 wrote on Jul 4, 2008 10:34 AM:

" How do you mistake a pipe for a gun. Poor janitor. "

Not so Political wrote on Jul 4, 2008 10:10 AM:

" What a waste of tax dollars. to many phone call in happen that are just bull. metcom gets this all the time. many fire dept. and ambulances get called out to the interstates and nothing is ever found. cell phones are a pain for 911 systems, and emergency people. "

dbill wrote on Jul 4, 2008 9:56 AM:

" OK, I knew it wouldn't take long for someone to blame President Bush. I wish I could predict lottery numbers like I predicted this one!

(ES Wrote:" Look what kind of paranoia this current President has caused. I do not fault State Farm, the employees or the security; but this is the kind of paranoid thinking we have grown accustomed to with the policies of the leaders in Washington. Enough fear folks: can't you see the Emperior is not wearing clothes. FDR said it best, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.") "

Dave wrote on Jul 4, 2008 9:49 AM:

" If SF would allow all employees who wanted to could keep a gun in their desk then announce such on signs out side the building, it would end the possibility of an evil doer wanting to shoot them up. I know that's a controversial idea but I think it would created greater safety than anything else that could be done. "

Dave wrote on Jul 4, 2008 9:36 AM:

" ES is right about fear. The government has created this fear so us poor defenseless sheep will give up our freedoms and way of life for their protection.
If a person really wanted to shoot up State Farm he wouldn't have been seen walking outside beforhand with a gun over his shoulder. He would have blasted through a door, probably in a vehicle and then jumped out and started shooting.
Guards check our cars when we park at airports. But if a deranged person wanted to shoot up an airport they'd drive straight to the terminal, double park, jump out and run inside and start shooting. We're a messed up society, to say the least.
Until us citizens have the right to protect ourselves in public places and at home, it will remain messed up. "

Dave wrote on Jul 4, 2008 9:28 AM:

" ES is right on with their post. Our government wants us to be afaid of everything.
Terrorists, drugs, gangs, drunks, unstables, ect. They want us to be so scared we will give up our freedoms for their protection. "

Realist wrote on Jul 4, 2008 9:21 AM:

" What? You liberals blaming Bush for this are really reaching for straws. If the democrats had the backbone to take a stand during their term, we'd be a lot better off right now. Funny how it takes so long to recover have democrats have been in charge. Nice try though. "

middle of the road wrote on Jul 4, 2008 9:14 AM:

" cocoa statistics prove you wrong "

middle of the road wrote on Jul 4, 2008 9:14 AM:

" how many police respond when someone calls in to say there is a man with a gun anywhere else in your town? even if shots are fired on the west side?
so why should State farm be treated as royalty? "

charliehustle wrote on Jul 4, 2008 9:07 AM:

" To Professional: You're just another jealous whiner. Wah! Wah! I hate state Farm! "

JustMe1120 wrote on Jul 4, 2008 8:22 AM:

" I work at Corp South... I am so glad that it turned out to be nothing. I would rather have too much of a reaction (from police..etc) over nothing than to have not enough reaction over something real! This is a scary reality. SF does not have sercure facilities at all. Yeah, there are wackenhut security guards walking around, but that doesn't stop someone from walking in with guns shooting up the place. I see people carrying back pack packs, mini suitcases...and the thought of one disgruntled employee using that to their advantange is never far out of my mind! To an extent I do feel safe...but then again, this is a wake up call. There are some real looney toons out there and I am really surprised that someone hasn't tried to bring a gun in before this...I hope it never happens, but I think that more precautions need to be taken! "

normalguy wrote on Jul 4, 2008 8:17 AM:

" between this incident and the constitution trail flasher(s) it should be quite clear to the west side, and that includes orlando ave. how the city values different segments of our society. actual murders, beatings, robberies etc occur and the city does nothing to clean things up. the gangs continue to have there way. now expose youself to a middle age jogger and its time to beef up patrols and make our trail safe. janitor with a pipe call homeland security. i say as long as they are here have them camp out at market for our long holiday weekend and actually protect someone from our own street terrorists. but alas that is the west side no need for concern. "

RichieGB wrote on Jul 4, 2008 8:13 AM:

" I just wanted to thank the police for a wonderful job done. My wife and I left the building at 4:05 p.m., when it was unknown that there was even a scare at the premises. The police did a great job of getting us away from the building when we got outside, I'm glad to see that everyone had control of the situation. I'm also glad that it was just a scare. "

hceuterpe wrote on Jul 4, 2008 8:11 AM:

" Wow. I was on medical leave for 2 weeks in Iowa. I worked at corporate temporary 2 weeks before that (normally at CS). I called someone 3 days ago at corp and he said NOTHING's up.

NOW THIS HAPPENS!! Wow I sure did miss a lot in a single day! "

bigdaddy wrote on Jul 4, 2008 7:59 AM:

" ....continued For all you SF workers on here bashing YOUR EMPLOYER, step back and think who feeds your family, puts the clothes on your back, offer "car pool vans," and a wonderful recreation park for it's employees. If I had that much disrespect for my employer, I think I would be looking for a new job...and by some of the comments on here, most of you sound like you'd be highly qualified to be security officers, you seem to know exactly what should have been done. "

bigdaddy wrote on Jul 4, 2008 7:58 AM:

" Reading some of these posts makes it clearier what is wrong with our country and some of our youth these days.... Yes, everyone that works at SF is an adult, so adults should follow directions (ie tornado drill) whether its a drill or "the real thing." To come on here and bash someone you don't know (caller) for wanting to make sure nothing serious was about to go down (it was an honest mistake, we are all human, better this way than not reporting and it turned out to be real, how would you feel if you were the caller... but didn't make the call... for fear of being bashed on pantagraph.com... then found out it was a gun and hundreds had been killed? I'd opt on the side of caution. Just like anything, you never now how it works until you actually use it... I'm sure SF and the authorities will review the events of the afternoon and use them as a learning experience. "

jojo wrote on Jul 4, 2008 7:53 AM:

" I am glad that this turned out the way it did. I think it is nice that someone was concerned enough to call the police, even if it was nothing. If someone had taken a gun into the building and nobody was concerned enough or willing to put themselves out things could have turned out alot differently. Thank you concerned citizen, whoever you are.

Cocoa: you are absolutly right about the negative, snippy comments and I have found myself falling into that trap on some occasions. (cranky morning, bad day, but no real, good reason.) Thank you for your comments. In the future I will try harder to do what my mom said "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything." "

what a shocker wrote on Jul 4, 2008 7:42 AM:

" I worked for a 911 dispatch in another large central illinois area and took a 911 call for a man walking down the street with what appeared to the caller to be a "very large gun or rifle". Turned out to be a freakin UMBRELLA! Gotta love folks and their cell phones. "

EastSideofCounty wrote on Jul 4, 2008 7:40 AM:

" Hey I was on vacation yesterday but I was worried about all of my teammates. I applaud all of the efforts, my only comment as we are all learning from this situation is...maybe a fire alarm would have been more appropriate then a tornado drill as if the threat had been real I would have wanted to get people out of the building, not gathered together in a single location. Anyway there is no doubt that everyone involved made the best decisons at the time. Thanks for everyones hard work and thank god it was a false alarm. "

Jarhead71 wrote on Jul 4, 2008 7:33 AM:

" Tornado and basement for all, BAD IDEA. All government buildings in DC have "SHELTER IN PLACE" drills for terrorist and nuke, bio, chem attacks. Corps as big as SF need shelter in place to keep employees safer than mass population in one place for possible gun violence. Police need to be in the building quickly, releasing employees floor by floor to leave the building(s) as areas are secured. Employees guided & escorted by police out to containment area to be ID'd and searched for weapons to make sure one is not the perp, then released to home. Once building emptied of innocent employees a thorough search conducted by police. Good exercise to show difficiencies in current procedures. Glad it was a false alarm. "

adonis wrote on Jul 4, 2008 7:32 AM:

" to birdgirl: That's pretty funny. "follow instructions". Ya, sure. I'll just go down to the basement at 4:30 right before a three day weekend, when the sky is completly clear. Um...no thanks. Some of us have better things to do than get stuck in the basement for an hour with a bunch of whiny, overweight, floor monitors. I've already made that mistake once or twice when we had tornados about 15 minutes before I was supposed to go home. We ended up stuck down there LONG after the storm had completly passed. From now on any time I hear that warning I head for the door. "

Lurg86 wrote on Jul 4, 2008 7:18 AM:

" To C ats: Thank you so much for the laugh, your post has plastered a smile on my face that will remain for at least a week. Truer words have never been spoken in this forum than the ones you provided. "

bucky311 wrote on Jul 4, 2008 7:05 AM:

" I hear that the local dry cleaners are offering a special on dockers & suit pants. "

mizzlin wrote on Jul 4, 2008 6:34 AM:

" OMG,,,,,,"a PASSERBY" saw this??? it took the swat team to take down a custodian with a pipe? where were the ppl inside the building? could not someone there have set the record straight as to who this "perp" really was..... I wonder what THIS fiasco will cost the taxpayers??? Doesn't State Farm have their own security guards that should have checked this out before getting the entire police force involved, evacuating the building, stopping traffic, etc. etc. ..... Somebody NEEDS to be accountable for this mistake...... "

Blackneto wrote on Jul 4, 2008 3:42 AM:

" Great.
Now, just like the schools we will see a rash of "Armed gunman" sightings at various places in town.
I'm glad I work 3rd shift. we ignore tornado drills. but thats only because we never know if they are real or not. "

The Professional wrote on Jul 4, 2008 2:00 AM:

" Cocoa: MY eyes would have seen that it was a pipe. I'm not angry at all. No disrespect to the Farmers, but you have to admit this is funny. "

cocoa wrote on Jul 4, 2008 1:44 AM:

" The Professional - the article states it was called in by a PASSER-BY. So yeah, they really had time to take a closer look and think about it before calling the police. What is it with people like you that are so angry? With all the workplace shootings in the news over the years, State Farm employees have the right to feel scared about something like this, rather than "special," as you call them. If this had happened at your workplace, you'd be chattering about it too. I am constantly amazed by the total lack of empathy I see in these blogs. So many people are always ready with a snippy comment about everything rather than trying to see a situation through someone else's eyes. "

javagirl wrote on Jul 4, 2008 1:42 AM:

" To Ration and birdgirl - Thank you for great, intelligent posts!! How true is "Take 10 mg of humility and perspective… or quit" especially after a situation like this. How can people feel so jaded when their best interest was priority number one for State Farm and local law enforcement? I was at Corp South late in the afternoon and we briefly evacuated and were allowed to return to our work. Our last thought was to be mad about being told it was a tornado drill.....we were more concerned for our friends and family over at Corporate North and how scared they must be. We were praying for their safety, not bashing the faulty PA system or being "tricked" by a tornado warning. We`were fortunate enough to get on the pantagraph's web site to begin getting some information. This was being updated practically by the minute. What a great thing that was for people that needed to know what was happending with friends and family. Good Job, Pantagraph. I want to just say "grow up" to all of those bashers (SF and non-SF!).
There are many out there that don't mind biting the hand that feeds them! "

cocoa wrote on Jul 4, 2008 1:40 AM:

" krampus - Sure, you go ahead and carry a gun onto SF property. You'll find yourself out of a job real quick. I love all the macho comments about CCW. I'm pro-gun but c'mon! Most of you are all talk and no action. If you found yourselves in a real emergency you'd be more likely to shoot yourself or an innocent bystander than the perpetrator.

And I also love all the armchair quarterback comments. I know a lot of people that work at State Farm (who doesn't in this town) and I am grateful someone cared enough to report what they thought was a threat. In one recent letter to the editor, we saw people complaining about people driving by a hurt person and doing nothing. Now we have this and we have people complaining because someone saw something suspicious and did something about it. No one can win with this big bunch of whiners. "

The Professional wrote on Jul 4, 2008 1:26 AM:

" This is the greatest thing I've ever heard! Really? A pipe on the shoulder being mistaken for a gun? No closer look before half the state's police force is called in? A gunman loose on the executive floor? The rumors escalated out of control. Oh, how special some Farmers think they are. It's sad, they are disappointed this didn't end in a bloody standoff. Thanks for making my weekend! "

The Cat wrote on Jul 4, 2008 1:07 AM:

" I bet the call was made by "ES" imagining things again. The grounds keeper looked like Cheney and the pipe looked like a gun to one who has never seen one up close so it was a natural mistake. "

MoGirl wrote on Jul 4, 2008 12:14 AM:

" I agree, it was a little scary to hear that a gunman was spotted at the Farm on the radio. I then later found out it was a worker with a pipe over his shoulder. Glad every one is safe and the "Mother Ship" is ok! :) "

PantyGrapher wrote on Jul 4, 2008 12:12 AM:

" I agree---with all the traffic and construction on Veteran's Parkway who in the world is on sniper alert and making a call like that! Now SF will have to pay 2000 employees overtime....don't think employees won't be asking that come Monday! "

MemberID wrote on Jul 3, 2008 11:49 PM:

" I'm also an employee at SF and I often feel that we don't get all the information until management decides to give us the information. When it is a situation of this sort I am not sure it is fair for management to make our decisions. When it comes to business - all your call....but when it comes to our personal safety...I think we should be able to make our own choices. "

RockFan wrote on Jul 3, 2008 11:39 PM:

" This happened because we have blown up this Homeland Security thing way beyond what is needed. These guys are on a hair trigger just waiting for an excuse to play with all their weapons. What a crazy over-reaction. The police state is not far away, thank God there is an election coming! "

jipsi wrote on Jul 3, 2008 11:34 PM:

" As Rivers noted, think about the poor JANITOR at the center of all this...
Talk about something to tell the grandkids!
Not to make light of the situation; I truly am glad this was a 'false alarm' and that everyone is safe and sound tonight... but imagine what this evening must be like at the janitor's home (or wherever he's at tonight, hopefully with friends and laughing it off).
Come Monday morning, he'll be instructed on how to more politically-correctly carry a long pipe, in the future, so as to avoid the 'gunman' likeness again...
:-) "

Ration wrote on Jul 3, 2008 11:19 PM:

" Personally I’m grateful to whoever made this call - Thank you.
I'm glad someone saw a black cylindrical object being toted around and called the authorities. I knew as soon as they sent us downstairs something very bad was happening. If you didn’t realize that too when we were sent downstairs with blue skies for “weather conditions”… well … perhaps you should work on your problem solving skills.
At the end of the day, that white lie got my husband and I home safely to our family by avoiding mass panic and I’m thankful.

Thank you also to BPD and homeland security. Our extended family thanks you too.

To the SF employees with “hurt feelings” - I believe you have caught the dreaded SF Spoileditis. Take 10 mg of humility and perspective… or quit. Either one will solve your problem. "

wkndwrrior79 wrote on Jul 3, 2008 11:17 PM:

" O great now we not only have to worry about gun control laws,but now we also have to worry about pipe control laws "

pseudo-intellectual wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:54 PM:

" If the police have a dartboard for recreation, we know whose picture they'll be throwing at for the next few days. "

miskaffon wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:51 PM:

" This was scary; sarcastic and ignorant comments about the police and company do nothing but cause more problems. I just hope I never happen upon a police SWAT team while going home from work again. Not a good feeling! "

ysteb wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:48 PM:

" To the people commenting on concealed carry:

Do you think that would really solve anything? I mean, give the wrong person a concealed weapon today, and SF is looking for a new member of maintenance staff. "

birdgirl wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:41 PM:

" Wow, I really can't believe there are so many intelligent people who are concerned about the safety and security of our buildings and yet you're out here telling the world exactly which building to target because of the unsecure doors! You have to be kidding! Use some common sense! To thetruthhurtshuh - this is not intended to bash AuntB, at least she didn't give the exact location. "

mamasboyotis wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:29 PM:

" Wow that was craziness today and pretty scary! But I am glad that we have the resources in Bloomington if a huge disaster broke out. I think the BLM police did a great job. We should all look at this as practice just in case (heaven forbid) something truly bad happened. I felt terrible for all of the employees of State Farm and couldn't imagine what was going through their minds. But I am so happy everything is safe! Good job to SF and BLM Police! "

c.a.t.s. wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:28 PM:

" you farmers crack me up if one of you came to a sudden stop you would all suffocate... "

birdgirl wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:09 PM:

" 1. To those who didn't follow instructions, you should have.
2. If you think it was wrong for them to say it was a tornado, imagine if it were announced that there was the possibility of a gunman on the property and everyone just started running - he would've had plenty of targets. Also, people in a panicked state can cause more harm, such as trampling.
3. Aunt B and others talking about security issues in any of our buildings only invites trouble. I'm just glad you didn't mention which building, because I don't want anyone out there hanging around now getting into the building I work in thanks to your comments. Be part of the solution, not the problem. Security is everyone's responsibility.
4. I'm just glad it was a false alarm. It was scary and I did not enjoy being locked in, but understood they wanted to make sure everyone was safe. "

birdgirl wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:05 PM:

" 1. To those who didn't follow instructions, you should have.
2. If you think it was wrong for them to say it was a tornado, imagine if it were announced that there was the possiblity of a gunman on the property and everyone just started running - he would've had plenty of targets. Also, people in a panicked state can cause more harm, such as trampling.
3. Aunt B and others talking about security issues in any of our buildings only invites trouble. I'm just glad you didn't mention which building, because I don't want anyone out there hanging around now getting into the building I work in thanks to your comments. Be part of the solution, not the problem. Security is everyone's responsibility.
4. I'm just glad it was a false alarm. It was scary and I did not enjoy being locked in, but understood they wanted to make sure everyone was safe. "

wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:05 PM:

" NormalNin - oh yea? Did you guys scramble the Segways? Wakenhut, now there's a joke. "

DblTs wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:04 PM:

" The worst thing they could have done is run them to the basement, especially after this article. Makes for a mighty fine shooting gallery if the shooter makes it to the basement. I know that they are trying to protect employees, but in this case, not good. If it was me, I'd rather take my chances on the floor. "

thetruthhurtshuh wrote on Jul 3, 2008 10:03 PM:

" To those bashing Aunt B... The IL Operations center (Il Regional Office) has many doors that don't close on windy days... so leave her alone. Considering we handle three states worth of claims, we're a target too. She has geniune concerns. "

ES wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:47 PM:

" Look what kind of paranoia this current President has caused. I do not fault State Farm, the employees or the security; but this is the kind of paranoid thinking we have grown accustomed to with the policies of the leaders in Washington. Enough fear folks: can't you see the Emperior is not wearing clothes. FDR said it best, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." "

MM wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:27 PM:

" T, if you read the article, you would have seen that it wasn't SF security that called the police it was a PASSER-BY. Somebody driving down Veteran's is my guess. From across the lanes, drive & lawn in front of the tower somebody thought they saw a gun, called the law & with the crime rate in B/N lately called it in.

Fortunately I had left work at SF around 3:30-3:45 so just missed the lock down. But I do want to know why I didn't hear anything from the Bloomington radio station I was listening to on my 45 minute drive home? My mother-in-law called me 15 minutes after I walked in my back door to see if I was home & ok & I had no idea what she was talking about until I logged on to the Pantagraph & then saw it on the news later. It's a scary feeling wondering if your friends & co-workers are okay. But I guess it's better to be safe than sorry. "

Opinion wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:20 PM:

" Good gosh, they did what they were trained to do, if someone said there was a gun they obviously thought it was and it's better to be safe then sorry, look at the world these days, heck look at most of these pathetic comments.
State Farm is the largest Insurance Company in the world with lots of employees why wouldn't the Police take this seriously and act accordingly.
Get a Life you State Farm Bashers, or come get a job, we have a great family there, for real !! And obviously well protected. "

Realist wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:18 PM:

" Unbelievable, I didn't realize that we have so many experts on dealing with a potential gunman in an office building. Maybe you could step forward and handle the situation the next time it arises. And for the people ignorant enough to think the employees were put "in 1 room" have no idea how a large complex is constructed. Thanks for your criticism of a topic that you have no clue about. At least I had a good laugh at your attempt to "help". "

dudleydonowrite wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:17 PM:

" It is sad commentary on our society where utter fear and paranoia force us to check our civil liberties at the door in order to go to work. If I were working at SF today, some person (unknown to me) made decision that I need to sit in a basement for 2 hours. I have no say without fear of firing or arrest. Lockdowns are a sacrifice of an individual rights for the presumed good of the mass. In these days of terrorist and gun paranoia we seem far to eager to give them up. "

Tripper wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:15 PM:

" I would love to know who the idiot was who overreacted and reported this "gunman" to authorities. I know it will not happen but I think it would be great if that person was charged for the cost of the police, SWAT, Dept of Homeland Security, etc responding. This person needs to a) get a life, 2) get a clue), 3) get out more often, and 4) get glasses. "

Santo Fan wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:13 PM:

" Hey Proud Conservative: Awesome post. "

NormalNin wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:03 PM:

" Exactley how many people commenting here work in SF security?

Didn't think so.

You have no idea what happened behind the scenes. Trust me security knew exactly what was going on from the begining. SF employees were actively ignoring police direction on what to do. "

YOUTOOOO wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:01 PM:

" About 12 yrs ago Bromenn had live pipe bomb brought into the ER by a psych pt. Luckily a security guard recognized it & took it outside the ER. The ER NEVER CLOSED. It took HOURS for the bomb squad to bring a special truck from Springfield to dispose of the bomb. Later it was stated that it had gone off by the hospital it would have caused alot of damage.--My how times have changed. "

captainplanet wrote on Jul 3, 2008 9:00 PM:

" Yes, everyone is upset because they were lied to. But in reality, what would you have done if they had said on the intercom "There has been a breach of security, please evacuate." People would have gone NUTS. I mean, NUTS. This was one way to calmly and quietly get everyone in a location that has the potential to be a lot safer from somebody just randomly walking around shooting people. In this situation, there is NO GOOD WAY TO HANDLE THIS PERFECTLY. Everybody sits here and plays Monday Morning Quarterback and says "This was stupid, etc..." but I personally commend SF for acting quickly and decisively. Yes people were decieved, but had this have been the real thing I think the comments would be a lot different on here. "

Proud Conservative wrote on Jul 3, 2008 8:49 PM:

" Once again all the answers to life's problems are found on the Pantagraph blog. Question your religion? Find answers here. Homosexual rights? Find answers here. Political experts? Yep, we got 'em.

Now...you're all crisis communication experts, too. And it's funny...all the same people who are experts on the other boards are the same experts here! Amazing.

SF's teams worked their plan today. It's never perfect. There are always lessons learned, so find something else to do with your time than criticize people who did their best to protect 2,000 people today - despite not knowing what was really going on. "

Rivers wrote on Jul 3, 2008 8:45 PM:

" A little seriousness aside, I do wonder if the police team surprised the custodian in a way he/she won't soon forget. Heck'uv a way to end the day. "

T wrote on Jul 3, 2008 8:28 PM:

" I wont bash SF everone else including SFer's are doing that LOL "

Coach 19 wrote on Jul 3, 2008 8:28 PM:

" i don't work at state farm but how dumb can you be to put everybody in one room if somebody supposedly has a gun. it would be like target practice. "

mc wrote on Jul 3, 2008 8:28 PM:

" The Bloomington police were in the building long before 5:30. I saw several squad cars next to the south side of the building at 4:10. And I saw officers in the atrium carrying assault rifles at 4:25 when I was trying to leave. I was impressed with the officers in the building. They had a professional demeanor and excellent gun handling skills. It is not every day that they have to safley carry a loaded weapon like that amoung a crowd of people. "

jaz23 wrote on Jul 3, 2008 8:14 PM:

" Hey SF Bashers what would you be saying if this happened at your place of business. I do not think you would be talking smack like you do for SF. "

Aunt B wrote on Jul 3, 2008 8:14 PM:

" To Landshark - reports have been made numerous times about unsecured doors. Point being, better measures need to be taken. No matter where you work, just because you have to key in to get into a building or area, doesn't automatically make one safe. "

ckmilli wrote on Jul 3, 2008 8:06 PM:

" SF'ers know that when a drill goes off we all just sit there wondering if was real. There needs to be a clear identification between a REAL drill and a practice drill - they all sound the same. The reality is, a disgruntled employee could pack a gun and get through the doors with it hidden in their clothes - there is no metal detection or xray. SF should review their procedures for if something like that should happen. "

ckmilli wrote on Jul 3, 2008 8:01 PM:

" SF Bashers shut up! Anywhere else & the hype wouldnt be so negative. I work at Corp & it's very safe, no doors left swinging open. There are doors that are open but once inside you gain access w/ your badge through revolving doors. In E Tower, anyone can go through the main door, but you badge through interior doors. My husband is an ex Marine & trained on handling situations like this & disagrees w/ sending everyone to the basement when the location of the "gunman" is unknown. Could have killled a lot of people. The tornado drill may have been the best alternative - if told the truth, they would be scrambling everywhere into possible danger. This sort of thing rarely happens & when it does, it always leaves opportunity to review policy. Thank you to the passer-by who was thinking of SF's safety. Honest mistake and we all may have done the same. ON THE OTHER HAND, IT'S ABSOLUTELY CRAZY that 90 minutes after the call, police were determining how toget into the building. If it were a lunatic in there, it could have been a bloodbath. "

MRS. wrote on Jul 3, 2008 7:58 PM:

" Just a question... or 2. Aren't all state farm employees adults? why lie to them. Why not get the message ( however they do it) there may be a breech in security and direct the workers to the basement or where ever the dssignated area is. As has been stated, all it took was a look out the window to know what the weather is. I bet they could have handled the truth. "

Chicagoan wrote on Jul 3, 2008 7:55 PM:

" I am glad, however, that it was a false alarm and nobody was hurt. "

Chicagoan wrote on Jul 3, 2008 7:51 PM:

" Classic Bloomington. "

safe resident wrote on Jul 3, 2008 7:48 PM:

" I think the security at State Farm needs some work. I don't think this was handled very well. Thank God that this situation wasn't what everyone thought at first. Hopefully this will be a wake up call for those in charge of security and we will have better plans in place in case of a future emergency. I work at State Farm and I have friends and loved ones working there as well. I know I would feel more secure knowing we are all more safe. "

ysteb wrote on Jul 3, 2008 7:47 PM:

" To all of you saying that people should have been able to tell the difference between a groundsman and a gunman, does that mean that all a gunman has to do is dress as a groundsman, and you would let them in?

It makes me feel more secure that this was taken seriously, and everyone who works at SF should be thanking the BPD, and not complaining about the way the officers handled it. "

110100100 wrote on Jul 3, 2008 7:22 PM:

" Some fool staring off into a parking lot instead of watching the road in rush hour traffic. "

FYI wrote on Jul 3, 2008 7:13 PM:

" HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! People are just too paranoid today...surprised they didn't shoot the poor janitor anyway. "

whatever wrote on Jul 3, 2008 7:12 PM:

" caring-come on, anyone that works at SF can tell the differance between the grounds crew and a gunmen. Plus shouldn't the people that are driving on Veterans be looking at road and not the people taking care of the grass at SF. "

JustWorkin wrote on Jul 3, 2008 7:07 PM:

" I was working at corp. south when the fake tornado warning came on.. The few of us that were in my area checked weather.com for sign of inclement weather and looked outside and didn't believe it so we kept working cause it was after 4 and we wanted to get done so we could start our weekend. The announcement was cut off weird at the end so i was wondering if it was some bad test. They have some problems with the PA lately. I am disappointed that I found out about Corp. scare from my sister-in-law in chicago. Seems like they could have done better than a fake tornado warning. I don't know how I feel about being sent to the basement really, feels like your putting everybody in a fish bowl, that doesn't seem safe either. I think in the end something good will come out of this procedure wise. Thank goodness this wasn't the real thing. "

pebbles wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:55 PM:

" If it had been a gun, and nobody had reported it, a lot of these comments would be questioning why no one saw a gun, and why they didn't report it. Someone thought they saw something and it turned out to be something else. It happens a lot. Personally I would rather have these false alarms and know that action is being taken. Security may need revamped at State Farm, but I know I would think twice about going into that building with a gun after seeing that kind of show of force. Glad to know that is the reaction. "

blogger wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:40 PM:

" I think it's good the police took this seriously. better safe the sorry. "

butterbar wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:34 PM:

" 4:00 call comes in, 4:40 homeland security arrives, 5:30 they are having a briefing about how to get into the building? In 90 minutes a nutjob with a steak knife could wreak havoc on a group duped into one location with no way to defend themselves. Reminds me of Columbine where the heavily armed police stayed outside while the killers strolled thru the building doing their thing. Time for concealed carry. The police cannot protect you. "

Landshark wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:34 PM:

" Aunt B - shouldn't you take responsibility to report the door - rather than alert the world that there are potential security issues. How many times have you personally used leadership courage to alert anyone that there could be an issue... "

pantagraph reader wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:33 PM:

" Thank heavens it was just a misunderstanding after all. But to JustAPerson - what a rude comment...about it sounding like keystone kops is extremely rude. These are a well trained team that put their lives on the line everytime they are called out. Also the "flasher" I heard was in the Normal area so that would be NPD not BPD right? and not the whole police force was there.
Anyway, let's just thank all that it was a misunderstanding and no-one was hurt at all. "

gossip hound wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:33 PM:

" Feel sorry for the state farm employees who were locked in the basement and lied to about a tornado. Who was the dumb annoymous caller that "THOUGHT" they saw a gun?? You don't make stupid mistakes like that.. "

oldlady wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:33 PM:

" It was very scary. "

foxxie02 wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:32 PM:

" watch out for the back blast from that pipe, way to fumble security sf!! "

thinkingofyou wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:31 PM:

" Now when the tornado warnings are issued, employees are going to question whether the warning is for a tornado or for an armed gunman! I was at Corporate South when the "tornado warning" was issued. Everyone I work around thought it was a mistake so nobody was going to the basement. We have fire drills and tornado drills...when are we going to start the "armed gunman" drills??? This leaves me feeling very insecure about my safety while I am working. "

whatever97 wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:28 PM:

Retired Farmer wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:27 PM:

" State Farm is a FORTUNE 500 COMPANY that employs over 15,000 local citizens and whose corporate citizenship outweighs any other company's. OF COURSE this is a HUGE story. Any bad apple surprised by this is completely OUT OF TOUCH. "

Aunt B wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:22 PM:

" I'm glad to hear this turned out to be a false alarm. I know SF is not as secure as it should be or employees are led to believe it is. There are at least three doors in one of the buildings that does not close the majority of the time (especially on windy days) after someone enters. Even though there are signs on the doors that indicate to close the door behind you, it is not done. I can not count the number of times I could have entered the building without using a badge to get in because the doors are not secured. People just walk out without making sure the doors are latched behind them. Who knows how long they been left open, but I don't think security checks on them, even though I've been told by one that some sort of alarm alerts them to the open door "

student1 wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:14 PM:

" nice job media. heard on the radio that a gunman was spotted in the executive tower but ended up being a custodian walking by with a pipe. thats how terrible rumors get started. and to those saying they were lied to, if something different was said there would have been mass chaos inside the building. state farm handled it as best they could "

The Real MRK wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:13 PM:

" Wanted to tell all those as appalled about the procedures during this as I am, that I am an SF Floor Monitor, volunteering to help people get to SAFETY during dangerous situations. You can all be assured that I will be following up with every superior I can on Monday regarding the handling of this. I encourage other disappointed SF workers to do the same. This time it was a misunderstanding, thank God. "

The Real MRK wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:06 PM:

" It was a misunderstanding. Custodian with a pipe. State Farm needs to seriously revamp it's procedures for a situation like this BEFORE something horrible happens. And shame on all of the people making ludicrous and insensitive comments during this, including the pantagraph moderators. What were you thinking putting some of these comments up? Have you no decency? "

krampus wrote on Jul 3, 2008 6:03 PM:

" I work at corporate south and was told to go to the baseent due to a tornado warning. I'm outraged at being lied to my face and for being put into what could potentially be a shooting gallery for an armed nutcase. An evacuation call should have been made for corp south immeadiately. I called my coworkers to tell them to leave after reading updates on the pantagraph.

When Blago leaves, hopefully IL will get a CCW law put in place. I'd feel better packing than being a sitting duck. "

Dymz wrote on Jul 3, 2008 5:59 PM:

" Someone needs to get their eyes checked. I heard it was a maintenance guy with a pipe or something. Good practice for the cherries and blueberries though. "

caring wrote on Jul 3, 2008 5:59 PM:

" to whatever97 ~ what do you mean what a joke this was and phony phone call?! i have heard nothing of the sort. how do you know this? "

whatever97 wrote on Jul 3, 2008 5:54 PM:

" What a joke this was, I hope they find the person that made the phony phone call. "

T wrote on Jul 3, 2008 5:54 PM:

" Maybe they will finally retire all those outdated security officers that have a hard time doing anything. Security at SF is a joke "

justaperson wrote on Jul 3, 2008 5:54 PM:

" Hmmmmm.... Janitor with a broom or something. Smooth. Sounded like keystone kops anyway. "

qwijibo.qwijibo wrote on Jul 3, 2008 5:52 PM:

" If we had a CCW law we would be at least armed and ready to deal with threats like this. "

sbell11 wrote on Jul 3, 2008 5:49 PM:

" man with a long gun...ooooor custodian with a long pipe. Meh Same difference "

qwijibo.qwijibo wrote on Jul 3, 2008 5:45 PM:

" A number of people I know who work at t

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