At least seven different historically Black colleges and universities locked down their campuses Thursday after receiving potential threats.
Hampton University in Virginia, Alabama State University, Bethune-Cookman University in Florida and Spelman College in Atlanta closed their campuses entirely on Thursday, warning students and staff to stay away.
Hampton also closed its campus for Friday, telling all “non-essential personnel” to “evacuate campus immediately” and declaring it “imperative that all members of the Hampton University community remain vigilant.”
Virginia State University, Southern University in Louisiana and Clark Atlanta University went into lockdowns on Thursday morning.
“Colleges and Universities should be a place of free expression and debate in a way that’s respectful, engaging and productive,” the Rev. Al Sharpton said in a statement. “What we have seen the last two days is anything but that.”
Sharpton was referencing the murder of right-wing organizer Charlie Kirk while he spoke at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon. Also on Wednesday, a student at a high school in Colorado shot and wounded two classmates before dying by suicide.
HBCUs have dealt with wide-ranging threats in the past as well. In February 2022, several campuses were locked down due to bomb threats, which turned out to be phony. Six minors were later arrested for calling in the fake threats.
There have also been several prank shooting calls at college campuses throughout the U.S. recently, most notably a fake report at Villanova University in Philadelphia.
