Federal investigators meet with HBCUs to work on improving response to called-in threats

ATLANTA — Members of the Atlanta University Center Consortium and leaders from the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency met Saturday morning to discuss ways to better handle the recent spate of bomb threats to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The meeting, which was held at the Robert W. Woodruff Library on Clark University’s campus, was also shown virtually for administrators and law enforcement from dozens of schools outside the metro Atlanta area.

The CISA held the meetings to walk through some best practices for the schools to help them investigate the threats and to protect their students, administrators and employees.

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Over the past few months, Channel 2 Action News has reported on multiple threats to Spelman College and other schools in the University Center corridor. Investigators have struggled to identify the source of the threats, but on Thursday, the FBI announced they had located at least six suspects it believes are behind them

The FBI said at a Thursday afternoon congressional hearing that the suspects are juveniles and are believed to be responsible for at least 59 cases of phone threats or threats by email dating back to early January.

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Earlier this week, the White House announced they would provide more resources for the historically Black schools after the rash of bomb threats. The Biden administration said those schools would be eligible for grant money directed toward educational institutions that have experienced a violent or traumatic incident.

The grant would provide funds for mental health resources and security on campus.

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