AGAIN?

New Wave of ‘Disturbing’ Bomb Threats Force HBCUs Into Lockdown

This is the second time in less than a month that historically Black colleges or universities have been targeted by bomb threats.

At least half a dozen historically Black colleges were hit by a new wave of bomb threats on Monday morning, forcing lockdowns and the cancellation of classes across the country.

The targeted schools included Albany State University in Georgia, Florida’s Bethune-Cookman University, Bowie State University in Maryland, Delaware State University, Southern University and A&M in Louisiana, and Howard University in Washington, D.C.

“Due to a bomb threat on campus, BSU will be closed temporarily today January 31, 2022,” Bowie State University posted on its Twitter page. “Emergency personnel are evaluating the situation. All persons on campus are advised to shelter in place until further information is available. Employees will work virtually. Classes will be virtual. Please observe the BSU website for continual updates.”

According to Fox 5, Bowie University officials said that the threat warned of explosives that had been placed in a building on campus. Along with university authorities, county and Maryland state police have launched an investigation into the threat.

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Staff at Albany State University released a statement early Monday saying that the school had also received a bomb threat and police were investigating.

“At this time, all campuses, classes, and university operations are canceled until further notice,” the statement read. “Employees and commuter students should not report to campus at this time. …Rest assured that we are working with the proper authorities to thoroughly investigate this threat.”

Bethune-Cookman’s lockdown was lifted by 9 a.m., but the school canceled classes for the remainder of the day Monday. Daytona Beach police said any signs of a bomb threat had been cleared, but they were still asking people to stay away from campus.

“We will have a heavy police presence on campus for the remainder of the day,” police said on Twitter. “We will also be restricting any movement on the Bethune-Cookman campus. Officers will be staged at entry/exit points on the campus.”

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This is the second time in less than a month that historically Black colleges or universities (HBCUs) have been the focus of bomb threats. At least eight schools—including Howard University—received threats on Jan. 5, which also prompted lockdowns and evacuations, according to The Washington Post. By the next day, all threats had been cleared, but the Black cultural center at the University of Utah received a bomb threat the following week, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.

“To those heading home from work and school, travel safe Bison!” Howard University police posted to Twitter Monday. “#staysafe #bisonsafe #howardforward #howarduniversity #hbcu.”

“Another rash of Bomb Threats to our beloved HBCU,” Howard alumna Alta Cannaday wrote on Facebook. “Education is power! We shall not be moved!”

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki called the threats “disturbing” during a press briefing Monday.

“The White House is in touch with inter-agency partners, including federal law enforcement leadership on this,” she said. “We’re relieved to hear that Howard and Bethune-Cookman Universities have been given the all-clear, and we’ll continue to monitor these reports [of bomb threats]. ...The president is aware. ...Law enforcement would be running point.”

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As of early Monday afternoon, no injuries had been reported at any of the colleges or universities.

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