Online threats heighten tensions at University of Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — University of Missouri police on Wednesday arrested a 19-year-old man suspected of posting online threats to shoot black students and faculty, adding to the racial tensions at the heart of the protests that led to the resignations of two university leaders earlier this week.
Campus police arrested Hunter M. Park, 19, in Rolla at 1:50 a.m. and took him to jail in Columbia, about 75 miles to the northwest. He was booked on a preliminary charge of suspicion of making a terrorist threat and hadn't been formally charged as of mid-morning. His bond is $4,500.
The posts discovered on the anonymous location-based messaging app YikYak and other social media Tuesday threatened to "shoot every black person I see." They followed the resignations on Monday of the University of Missouri System's president and the chancellor of its flagship campus in Columbia.
"We had additional officers on patrol last night and the campus remained safe," Major Brian Weimer said in a statement. "We investigated a number of reports and tips and take every one of them seriously."
There were other threats, and authorities didn't say if additional arrests are possible. Another threat said: "Some of you are alright. Don't go to campus tomorrow." The message seemed to echo one that appeared on the website 4chan — a forum where racist and misogynistic comments are common — ahead of the deadly campus shooting at an Oregon community college last month.
The posts were widely disseminated across the Internet and local media.
Weimer told The Associated Press additional officers were already on campus before the university learned of the threats. University police were working with other state and local agencies to ensure the campus was secure, he said.
The school's online emergency information center tweeted, "There is no immediate threat to campus," and asked students to not spread rumors.
On campus about 8 a.m. Wednesday, student foot traffic was muted as Steven Loughrige made his way to class. He said he never took the threats seriously because they appeared on social media.
"I'm just disappointed that it escalated," said Loughrige, a white junior studying engineering.
It has been a tumultuous week on the Columbia campus.
The student government president reported in September that people shouted racial slurs at him from a passing pickup truck, galvanizing the weekslong protest movement. A graduate student went on hunger strike to demand the resignation of university system President Tim Wolfe over his handling of racial complaints, then more than 30 members of the Missouri football team went on strike in his support. Those developments came to a head Monday with the resignation of Wolfe and Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, the top administrator of the Columbia campus.
A plaza that had been the site of a sit-in by protesters was entirely empty Tuesday night and only a handful of students were seen walking around campus. Police officers from the campus department and city of Columbia were on patrol.
Gaby Rodriguez, a senior, said she was at work when she heard about the online threats.
"It's really disheartening and proves the point of why these protests and boycotts were necessary," Rodriguez said. "I don't think I've ever felt this unsafe at Mizzou," she said, referring to the college by its nickname.
Some students, faculty and alumni have said the protests and top leaders' resignations are the culmination of years of racial tension.
Among other recent events, members of the Legions of Black Collegians, whose founders include a recently retired deputy chancellor, said slurs were hurled at them by an apparently drunken white student while practicing for a homecoming performance.
The university has promised changes.
Chuck Henson, a black law professor and associate dean, was appointed Tuesday as the university's first-ever interim vice chancellor for inclusion, diversity and equity.
The university system's governing body, the Board of Curators, also announced a number of other initiatives, including more support for the hiring and retention of diverse faculty and staff and a full review of all policies related to staff and student conduct.
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