Washington, D.C. – Six months after multiple historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) received a rash of bomb threats, Howard University received three bomb threats in two weeks. Just in 2022 alone, the school has received eight bomb threats.
One threat was received on August 23 just before 11 p.m., and students in the Cook Hall building were evacuated. The phone threat was made by a man who specifically mentioned the address of Cook Hall, reports The Hilltop. Eleven days before that, the school received another threat.
Then another threat was received on Friday by the Metropolitan Police Department, targeting the campus’ East and West Towers, reports WUSA. Both towers were evacuated at around 2:30 a.m.
In a statement after the August 23 threat, Howard University President Wayne A. I. Frederick, M.D., MBA said: “The timing of these most recent bomb threats is no coincidence. They were made as the majority of our student body returned to campus and as we initiated our new academic year in order to instill fear and disrupt the vital work that occurs on our campus.”
According to the FBI, earlier this year, from January 4 to February 16, 57 HBCUs and houses of worship received bomb threats, including Howard University, Coppin State University in Baltimore, Fort Valley State University in Fort Valley, Georgia, Kentucky State University in Frankfort, Kentucky, Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, Edward Waters University in Jacksonville, Florida, Alcorn State University in Lorman, Mississippi, Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Mississippi, Spelman College in Atlanta, Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi, and Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, Mississippi, the University of District of Columbia, Morgan State University, Bethune-Cookman University, Bowie State University, Southern University and A&M, Albany State.
In early February, the FBI began investigating the threats, but no arrests have been made, reports CNN. Students and HBCU leaders say they are frustrated by the lack of progress.
Despite the large number of bomb threats, so far, no explosives have been found. That being said, authorities are urging students, faculty, and staff to take the threats seriously.
In July, at least two dozen colleges and universities, largely in Virginia and Florida and at community colleges were threatened with bombings. In early August a suspect was identified in 12 of the threats made at several Mississippi colleges and universities.
Responding to the most recent bomb threats received by his institution, Frederick has vowed that Howard University will continue to pursue its mission: “To the entire extended Howard University community, and to any bad actors who have made or may consider issuing bomb threats against our campus or any historically Black college and university, allow me to say this: We will never stop pursuing our mission. We will never stop educating our students. We will never stop conducting research and generating important scholarship. We will never stop revealing truths. And we will never stop providing invaluable and irreplaceable service to our communities. Any threats against us only serve to reinforce the importance of our work and strengthen our resolve to continue.”
