A reminder to students about relationships and campus safety, 2009 marks the 30th anniversary of a bomb explosion in Streit-Perham Hall at Washington State University (WSU).
A man distraught over a breakup with his girlfriend detonated the bomb on the fifth floor of Perham Hall, killing himself and injuring five others. The bomb exploded at 3:05 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 1979.
The man who detonated the bomb, killing himself, John Stickney, 18, of Mercer Island, was hopeless because of an ended relationship with WSU student Lisa Clark. Stickney called Clark so frequently after the breakup her roommate often complained of never being able to use the phone. Once, Stickney tried to physically force Clark into his car when he saw her walking on campus.
Stickney drove to Pullman after work on Dec. 17 in a last attempt to win Clark back. Clark had been relocated to the sixth floor of Perham upon being tipped Stickney was headed her way. The doors to the dormitory were locked at 10 p.m., in accordance to 1979 campus policy. Though no one knows how, at 11:30 p.m. Stickney somehow managed to get into the locked dorm. Stickney found Clark’s room, empty, then went to the Residential Advisor’s room in an attempt to find her. Campus police were called and escorted Stickney out of the dorm.
Stickney came back to Perham Hall the next day demanding to see Clark again or he would not return home to Mercer Island. Clark told Stickney in a supervised meeting the relationship was over, and Stickney left. Stickney, less than 15 minutes later, returned to Perham Hall this time with a heavy backpack. An employee of a company which specialized in rock blasting, Stickney showed up this time with rock quarry dynamite. Campus police were called again, and Lt. Mike Kenny and Cpl. Dave Trimble attempted to persuade Stickney to hand over the bomb. The officers tried to negotiate with Stickney, but Stickney detonated the bomb anyway. The explosion killed Stickney, injured the officers, and blew out every window on the fifth floor of Perham Hall.
Though in Dec. 1979 the pages of The Daily Evergreen were littered with stories the explosion, few people on campus today were here during the event. While many people do not know about the explosion, professor Eloy R. González was teaching in 1979 at WSU and remembers the event well. González said he used the event to illustrate a theme in class. The example worked very well because the event hit very close to home and was a very tangible topic for the students, González said. “Things like this happen often because parents are not tolerant enough to let kids have their relationships, ala ‘Romeo and Juliet’,” González cautioned about young love.
WSU Risk Manager Rich A. Heath was not at WSU during the explosion, but he has heard about it, he said. Heath suggested students should always take precautions for their own safety on campus. Heath cautioned students to not prop open doors or let strangers into the residence halls, as John Stickney was able to get into Perham Hall after hours. Heath also emphasized the importance of reporting threats and other incidents to university authorities, regardless of the magnitude of the threat. “Our priority is to keep the students safe,” Heath said, “and we need their help.”
If students feel threatened or unsafe on campus they are also encouraged to use the Blue Light emergency phones, Heath said.
If friends and family of Stickney had been more aware of his problems, his story may have had a happier ending. If students or their friends are dealing with a crisis, they can call the WSU Crisis Line at (509)-334-1133, or WSU Counseling Services at (509)-335-4511.
WSU Campus Police can be reached at 509-335-8548.
For more tips about campus safety, visit police.wsu.edu.
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