FL University Among Historically Black Colleges On Lockdown

DAYTONA BEACH, FL — A Florida university is among a handful of historically Black colleges and universities on lockdown Thursday in five states across the South.

Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach went into lockdown “due to a potential threat to campus safety,” according to a Facebook post.

“All classes have been canceled; students should 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,” the university wrote, adding, “Safety is our first priority.”

The Daytona Beach Police Department said it’s investigating a reported threat directed at the university, the agency wrote in a Facebook post.

“We ask the public to avoid the area until further notice,” police said.

HBCUs in Virginia and at least two in Atlanta have also reported receiving threats Thursday.

Alabama State University in Montgomery also closed its campus Thursday after receiving a threat.

Students, faculty, and staff who don’t live on campus were asked to leave, while students who live on campus were told to shelter in place in their residence halls, according to a statement from ASU. All classes, activities and university business were canceled for the day.

Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, also went into lockdown Thursday, which has since been lifted, “due to a campus safety threat.”

All campus activities and classes were canceled Thursday through Sunday on the university’s “landmass,” which includes Southern University and A&M College, Southern University Law Center, Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center, and Southern University Laboratory School, the university said.

Similar threats were also reported at Hampton University and Virginia State University, both in Virginia, Patch reported.

Spelman College and Clark University, which are in Atlanta, were also in lockdown, though the college hasn’t received any threats Thursday, Patch reported.