Multiple HBCUs Lock Down Campuses Following Terroristic Threats

On Thursday, multiple historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) across the United States received terroristic threats, prompting campus lockdowns and class cancellations. Alabama State University (ASU) announced a shutdown of campus operations "out of an abundance of caution" after receiving a threat directed at their campus. The university stated, "We are working in close coordination with the appropriate law enforcement agencies to assess the situation and to ensure the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff, and the broader ASU community."

Hampton University in Virginia canceled classes, athletic events, and all non-essential activities for Thursday and Friday. The university advised students to limit movement around campus to essential activities, instructed off-campus students not to come to campus, and directed non-essential personnel, including faculty and staff, to leave campus.

Virginia State University issued an "urgent alert" Thursday morning, placing the campus on lockdown due to a potential threat. Other HBCUs, including Southern University in Louisiana, Clark Atlanta University in Georgia, and Bethune-Cookman University in Florida, also reported receiving threats.

These incidents occur amid a rise in fake emergency calls, known as "swatting" incidents, targeting U.S. universities as students return for the new school year. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called on the Department of Justice and FBI to investigate the threats as potential acts of domestic terrorism. The FBI acknowledged awareness of the hoax calls made to HBCUs.