University of Chicago at Hyde Park Campus Canceled Monday Classes After Online Mass Shooting Threat (Update: 21 Year Old College Student Jabari R. Dean Arrested for Threatening to “Execute White Male Students)

The University of Chicago has canceled all classes and activities at its Hyde Park campus after being warned by the FBI of an online mass shooting gun threat. The gun violence was supposed to occur on the campus quad at 10 pm Monday. According to reports, there will be an increased police and security presence on and around the campus.

In an alert sent out to the campus community, university president Robert Zimmer said FBI counterterrorism officials said the threat, posted by an unknown individual, specifically mentioned “‘the campus quad’ on Monday morning at 10 a.m.”

“Based on the FBI’s assessment of this threat and recent tragic events at other campuses across the country, we have decided in consultation with federal and local law enforcement officials, to exercise caution by canceling all classes and activities on the Hyde Park campus through midnight on Monday,” Zimmer said.

Monday Classes and Activities at Hyde Park Campus Canceled Due to Threat:

Date: November 29, 2015

To: University of Chicago Campus Community

From: Robert J. Zimmer

Subject: Monday Classes and Activities at Hyde Park Campus Canceled Due to Threat

The University was informed by FBI counterterrorism officials today (Sunday) that an unknown individual posted an online threat of gun violence against the University of Chicago, specifically mentioning “the campus quad” on Monday morning at 10 a.m. Based on the FBI’s assessment of this threat and recent tragic events at other campuses across the country, we have decided in consultation with federal and local law enforcement officials, to exercise caution by canceling all classes and activities on the Hyde Park campus through midnight on Monday. All non-medical faculty, students and non-essential staff are asked not to come to the Hyde Park campus on Monday, or to remain indoors as much as possible if they are on campus. Students in College Housing are asked to stay indoors and await direct communication from College Housing Staff.

In response to the threat, the University will have an increased police and security presence on and around campus, including police personnel with visible weapons and other additional measures. University security personnel are keeping in close contact with the FBI, which is continuing to investigate the threat.

UPDATE I: University of Chicago Would-Be-Shooter Wanted To ‘Rid The World of White Devils’.

According to the police report, the man who threatened to attack the University of Chicago Monday morning planned to target white males and wanted to do his part to “rid the world of white devils.”

The threat apparently came in the form of a comment on the website WorldStarHipHop. In the comment, the commentator threatened to avenge the death of Laquon McDonald, the black man who was shot and killed by a Chicago police officer, sparking protests across the greater Chicago area.

UPDATE II: “I will then die killing any number of white policeman in the process.”

“This is my only warning. At 10 AM Monday morning, I’m going to the campus quad of the University of Chicago. I will be armed with an M-4 carbine and two desert eagles, all fully loaded. I will execute approximately 16 white male students and or staff, which is the same number of time McDonald was killed,” he wrote.

“I will then die killing any number of white policeman in the process. This is not a joke. I am [sic] to do my part and rid the world of white devils. I expect you do the same,” he continued.

UPDATE III: Jabari R. Dean, of Chicago, was arrested Monday and charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce.

A 21-year-old college student has been arrested for threatening to “execute aproximately (sic) 16 white male students and or staff” at the University of Chicago, and then “any number of white policemen,” to avenge the fatal shooting of Laquan McDonald, according to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago.

Jabari R. Dean, of Chicago, was arrested Monday and charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced. According to the affidavit, Dean wrote in an online post that he planned to show up at the University of Chicago’s campus quad Monday morning armed with an assault rifle and two semi-automatic pistols and would “do my part to rid the world of the white devils.”