At least eight historically Black colleges and universities across the country implemented shelter-in-place orders, shut down campus facilities and canceled classes on Thursday after threats were made against their institutions.

What You Need To Know

  • At least eight historically Black colleges and universities implemented shelter-in-place orders, shut down campus facilities and canceled classes on Thursday after threats were made against their institutions
  • The threats came a day after Charlie Kirk, a prominent ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed at a university event in Utah
  • The lockdowns also came amid a spate of political violence and threats, including a bomb threat at Democratic National Committee headquarters on Thursday and a flurry of school shooting hoax threats
  • In a statement to Spectrum News, the FBI said it was aware of the threats, describing them as “hoax threat calls” and saying they have “no information to indicate a credible threat"
  • Threats spurred shelter-in-place orders and canceled classes at Alabama State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Clark Atlanta University, Hampton University, Morehouse College, Southern University and A&M College, Spelman College and Virginia State University 

The threats came a day after Charlie Kirk, a prominent ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed at a university event in Utah and amid a spate of political violence and threats. On Thursday, there was a bomb threat at Democratic National Committee headquarters in Washington, D.C. Over the last few weeks, there have also been a flurry of school shooting hoax threats as students returned to college campuses. 

In a statement to Spectrum News, the FBI said it was aware of the threats but had no information to indicate they were credible. 

“The FBI is aware of hoax threat calls to a number of Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The FBI takes these threats very seriously because it puts innocent people at risk,” the agency said. “While we have no information to indicate a credible threat, we will continue to work with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to gather, share, and act upon threat information as it comes to our attention.”

Campus police and local law enforcement were clearing every building on campus at Alabama State University in Marion, Ala., one by one on Thursday afternoon, the university said in a statement. In Virginia, Virginia State University canceled all classes on Thursday and said it was working with local, state and federal law enforcement agencies as it is “actively investigating the credibility of the threat received earlier today.”

Elsewhere in Virginia, Hampton University canceled all non-essential activity on Thursday and through Friday, urging off-campus students not to come on site and urging all “non-essential personnel, including faculty and staff” to “evacuate campus immediately.” In Florida, Daytona Beach’s Bethune-Cookman University said its campus was on lockdown and all classes were canceled. It urged students to “return to their dorm rooms and shelter in place. All faculty and staff should head home and those not on campus should plan to work remotely.”

According to local reports and a post from fellow HBCU and collaborator Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University in Georgia also received threats and was locked down. Spelman College said it was asking students, faculty and staff to shelter in place “out of precaution and due to our close proximity” but said they had not yet received any threats. Nearby Morehouse College was also locked down, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

In Baton Rouge, La., Southern University and A&M College "received a potential threat to campus safety,” the university said in a statement shortly after noon on Thursday. Later in the day, the university said the lockdown had been lifted, but all classes were canceled on Thursday and Friday and anyone who did not reside on campus was told to “evacuate campus.”

Fayetteville State University in North Carolina also received a threat, but did not cancel classes or issued any lockdown orders, spokesperson Linda Gerron told Spectrum News, adding that around 4 p.m. the university was informed by law enforcement “there was no viable threat to our campus at this moment.” Gerorn and the university’s campus police interim chief Alpha Clowney said they were in contact with local, state and federal partners.

“The violent threats made today against several Historically Black Colleges and Universities throughout the nation are despicable and yet another indication that the explosion of hateful extremism is out of control,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement. “We stand with the students, faculty and communities that have had their peace and safety disrupted. I am thankful to local law enforcement for their swift response. The Department of Justice and FBI must thoroughly investigate any potential act of domestic terrorism, and not turn a blind eye when Black college students are apparently being viciously targeted.

“These attempts to intimidate everyday Americans will not stand. We need leadership at this moment that brings the country together,” Jeffries added.

In Texas, the chancellor of the Texas A&M University System — which is not a HBCU — said that “certain misguided individuals” threatened "violent retribution” on Texas A&M University’s campus “ following the evil and reprehensible act carried out against Charlie Kirk yesterday,” but he did not offer further details. The university system did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Kirk was shot and killed at Utah Valley University on Wednesday. The same day, in Colorado, a teen student shot two peers and then himself at a high school in the Denver suburbs. Late last month, a shooter in Minneapolis killed two children and wounded 17 others as they attended Mass at a Catholic school during the first week of classes.

In early 2022, an increase in bomb threats across the country targeted HBCUs, triggering a Department of Homeland Security effort to help institutions secure themselves against such threats. The FBI announced late that year that a minor individual was charged with making dozens of racist threats targeting HBCUs.

“HBCU campuses have been safe havens since their creation. I’m not sure why or how they have become a target today, but it is not ok,” Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, said. “It is not ok for anyone to be targeted for violence! My heart aches for the constant trauma that students consistently experience simply because some lack the courage to do better!”

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.