Bomb threats now reported against more than a dozen historically Black colleges in US
UPDATE: More than a dozen historically Black colleges and universities received bomb threats on Feb. 1, putting campuses on high alert at the start of Black History Month.
Threats were reported at Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia; Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia; and Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland, early Tuesday, Feb. 1. They come one day after similar threats were made against six other HBCUs across the U.S.
Additional threats were also reported at Coppin State University in Baltimore, Maryland; Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida; Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky; and Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans.
Tougaloo College, Jackson State University and Alcorn State University in Mississippi were also targeted, as were Philander Smith College and Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock, Arkansas, and Shorter College in North Little Rock, Arkansas, according to local reports.
The FBI said it is working with local law enforcement to investigate the threats, the agency told McClatchy News in a statement Monday, Jan. 31.
Fort Valley has initiated a campus-wide lockdown and canceled classes for the day as authorities investigate, university officials confirmed.
“Residential students remain in dorms,” the university wrote on Twitter. “Non-residential students and staff should NOT report to campus until further notice. Campus operations are suspended for the day.”
Spelman College in Atlanta also received a bomb threat, WXIA reported, citing Atlanta police. It’s unclear if the campus has halted operations for the day.
In a letter to the campus community, Morgan State President David Wilson confirmed reports of the bomb threats were “real.”
“The campus is being searched building-by-building this morning with our residential halls being searched first,” Wilson wrote. “Fortunately, nothing has been discovered within any of our residential facilities. The sweep of all office and academic buildings will proceed after these initial searches have taken place, and we will issue an update to the campus community as soon as possible.”
The original story continues below.
Howard University and Southern University are among at least six historically Black colleges and universities to receive bomb threats on Monday, Jan. 31, according to multiple reports.
Southern University and A&M College, located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, has closed campus for the day as authorities investigate.
“The Baton Rouge Land Mass including Southern University Lab, Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center, and the Southern University Law Center has been placed in lockdown status,” a notice on the university’s website reads. “Classes have been canceled and students are to remain in their dorm rooms until an all-clear is issued.”
Albany State University in Albany, Georgia.; Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida; Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland and Delaware State University in Dover, Delaware, were also targeted by threats on the morning of Jan. 31, according to local reports.
The FBI on Jan. 31 said it is aware of the bomb threats and is investigating.
“The FBI is aware of the series of bomb threats around the country and we are working with our law enforcement partners to address any potential threats,” the agency told McClatchy News in a statement. ”As always, we would like to remind members of the public that if they observe anything suspicious to report it to law enforcement immediately.”
Daytona Beach Police gave the all-clear at Bethune-Cookman around 11 a.m, the Orlando Sentinel reported, but advised students and staff to “remain off-campus if at all possible.” A shelter in place order remains in effect at Bowie State, and students will learn virtually for the remainder of the day, the university said on Twitter.
This is the second instance of bomb threats at HBCUs this month, NBC News reported.
This story was originally published January 31, 2022 at 11:46 AM with the headline "Bomb threats now reported against more than a dozen historically Black colleges in US."