The FBI has made some progress in pinpointing those responsible for a series of bomb threats against HBCU’s across the country.
Federal agents have identified six “tech-savvy” minors as persons of interest in the threats that poured in on February 1st, which marked the first day of Black History Month. Over a dozen historically Black colleges and universities received bomb threats, including Bowie State University, Coppin State University, Howard University, the University of the District of Columbia, and Morgan State University. Many of the schools canceled classes or moved to online sessions as authorities scrambled to determine if the threats were credible.
The minors likely responsible for the threats operated from different areas in the country and used extensive methods to try and conceal their plan. The FBI believes the threats were racially motivated. This latest development in the investigation comes as social media and HBCU students called for authorities to get to the bottom of the frightening incident.
“The FBI takes all potential threats seriously, and we regularly work with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility,” the agency said in a statement.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives worked with local law enforcement to respond to the threats.
The juveniles have not been publicly identified, and it is unclear what type of charges they will face, if any.