11:49 a.m. Aug 31 UPDATE 4
Most of the USDA offices that closed yesterday following threats, including those on Centennial Campus, were reopened today, according to a WolfAlert sent out at 10:29 a.m.
As a precaution, there will be an increased law enforcement presence near these offices. NC State Police could not confirm any specific threats to campus, according to the WolfAlert.
9:18 p.m. Aug. 30 UPDATE 3
According to The Collegiate Times, Virginia Tech’s student newspaper, multiple instructors at the university canceled classes yesterday afternoon after receiving the threatening message at 1:47 p.m. Monday.
According to Richard Chumney, the news editor* of The Collegiate Times, the threatening email was sent to “dozens of students” at the university.
2:58 p.m. Aug. 30 UPDATE 2
One of the faculty members who received the threat notified NC State University Police Department early evening on Monday 29, according to Major David Kelly, the support services commander for the department. NC State Police has since been cooperating with the FBI and the North Carolina Information Sharing and Analysis Center on the investigation.
According to Kelly, the threat was able to be traced back to a location overseas and the two NC State faculty members received the exact same message as those at Virginia Tech.
At this time, no other students, faculty or staff have notified NC State Police of receiving a similar threat. Although Kelly could not comment on the precise content/wording of the threats received by the other universities and the USDA, they received threats with the “same type of information.”
Security guards have been posted outside of the APHIS office on Centennial campus although the building remained open, according to WRAL. No classes were interrupted or other offices closed, according to Mick Kulikowski, assistant director for news and national media coordinator.
2:02 p.m. Aug. 30 UPDATE 1
According to the Washington Post, Virginia Tech sent a similar message to their students following the arrival of “threatening emails” to multiple campus email addresses.
Virginia Tech Campus Police are investigating, according to the Washington Post. Virginia Tech Campus Police also reported that four other universities received the same email as of Monday afternoon.
According to Collegiate Times, the anonymous sender wrote: ”I am here to inform that in the next couple of days I will break into the campus and will kill as many people as I can untill the police arrives (sic).”
The US Department of Agriculture has closed six offices in five states until further notice after several employees at each location received email threats, according to the Associated Press. In an email to employees, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said the closure of the offices was “due to the serious nature of these threats.” The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Office on Centennial was among those closed.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said the Department of Homeland Security is working with USDA “to ensure the safety of their offices and the personnel that work there.”
ORIGINAL
NC State Police just released a WolfAlert regarding an unconfirmed threat to campus.
“Along with individuals at other universities and the USDA, two faculty members at NC State received an email that included a general, unconfirmed threat to campus. NC State Police have determined that several dozen individuals at Virginia Tech University received the exact same email threat yesterday.
NC State University Police take all threats seriously and are working with local, state and federal officials to investigate the credibility of the email threat.
If any students, faculty or staff have received any related emails or additional information, please contact the NC State Police Department at 919-515-3000.
Additional information will be provided to campus as it becomes available.”
*Editor’s Note: Previously, Richard Chumney was incorrectly referred to as the editor-in-chief of The Collegiate Times.
