Wave of Terror Threats Locks Down Multiple HBCUs Nationwide Amid Heightened Campus Tensions

September 11, 2025 – Updated 8:45 PM ET

WASHINGTON — A chilling series of "terroristic threats" swept across several Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) on Thursday, prompting campus-wide lockdowns and class cancellations as law enforcement scrambled to investigate. The incidents, which affected at least five institutions in the South, come just one day after the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University, raising fears of retaliatory violence and underscoring the vulnerability of minority-serving institutions to targeted harassment.

The threats, described by officials as potential dangers to campus safety, led to immediate shutdowns at Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama; Hampton University in Hampton, Virginia; Virginia State University in Petersburg, Virginia; Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana; and Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida. No injuries or explosives have been reported, but the swift response from school administrations and police highlights the ongoing trauma inflicted on HBCU communities, which have faced a history of racially motivated attacks.

At Alabama State University, campus operations were halted "out of an abundance of caution" following a direct "terrorist threat," according to a statement from the university shared with USA TODAY. "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," the statement read. The lockdown forced students indoors, with classes and events suspended indefinitely.

Hampton University, a private HBCU with a student body of about 3,500, took the precautionary step of canceling all classes and activities through Friday, September 12. "Hampton University has received notice of a potential threat and has ceased all non-essential activity, effective immediately," the school announced on social media, urging students to shelter in place. Similar measures were enacted at Virginia State University, where an "urgent alert" at around 8:30 a.m. ET ordered a full campus shutdown, with officials advising everyone to remain indoors and check emails for updates.

Southern University and A&M College briefly locked down its Baton Rouge campus before lifting the order later in the day, though all classes and events remain canceled through the weekend. Bethune-Cookman University, meanwhile, confirmed it had received unspecified threats, leading to a lockdown that disrupted normal operations and heightened security patrols.

The ripple effects extended beyond the primary targets. Spelman College in Atlanta issued a temporary shelter-in-place order after a threat was reported at neighboring Clark Atlanta University, another HBCU; the alert was lifted by afternoon after investigations deemed it non-credible. Florida A&M University (FAMU) in Tallahassee also joined the list, going into lockdown after receiving similar warnings, according to reports from campus insiders and social media updates.

These events echo a disturbing pattern of threats against HBCUs. In early 2022, more than 50 such institutions received bomb threats via emails, calls, and anonymous posts, many deemed racially motivated by the FBI. A juvenile was later charged in connection with dozens of those hoaxes. Civil rights leader Al Sharpton condemned Thursday's incidents in a statement, linking them to broader violence on campuses: "We have seen too much violence on our campuses, whether it was the brazen murder of Charlie Kirk yesterday or the threats against these HBCUs today. Colleges and universities should be a place of free expression and debate in a way that’s respectful, engaging, and productive."

The timing—mere hours after Kirk's death in a shooting at a campus event in Orem, Utah—has fueled speculation of copycat or retaliatory actions, though authorities have not confirmed any links. The FBI and local police are investigating the threats as potential hate crimes, with enhanced security measures in place across affected campuses. Students expressed a mix of fear and frustration on social media, with one Hampton University post reading: "This is ridiculous!!! Why target us?"

As the school year begins, these lockdowns serve as a stark reminder of the challenges facing HBCUs, which educate a disproportionate share of Black undergraduates amid persistent underfunding and external pressures. The Department of Homeland Security has previously allocated grants for security enhancements at such institutions, but today's events underscore the need for renewed vigilance.

Investigations are ongoing, and the FBI has urged anyone with information to come forward. Campuses plan to resume normal operations as soon as threats are cleared, but for now, the specter of fear lingers over what should be havens of learning and growth.

17GEN4.com