Philadelphia-area colleges were on high alert Monday following the discovery of an Internet posting that attracted the attention of the FBI and ATF.
Federal authorities said on Sunday that regional schools had been notified of a “social media posting which threatened violence at a Philadelphia-area college or university for Monday, October 5.”
The FBI explained in a statement that no that no specific school had been named in the post, but was acting “out of an abundance of caution.”
“We encourage students, faculty and employees at area colleges and universities to follow the guidance of their campus security officials,” the FBI said.
Colleges and universities that have alerted employees and students to the possible threat include Temple and Drexel universities in Philly, as well as the University of Delaware and other area colleges.
The FBI did not cite the particular post that raised concerns, but local news outlets reported on Sunday that the warning was provoked by a message published on 4chan, a website which hosts dozens of forums for topics ranging from anime to automobiles.
“On October 5, 2015 at 1:00 PM CT, a fellow robot will take up arms against a university near Philadelphia. His cries will be heard, his victims will cower in fear, and the strength of the Union will decay a little more,” the post reads in part.
“If you are in that area, you are encouraged to stay at home and watch the news as the chaos unfolds. His sacrifice will echo throughout the nation.”
The post was published on 4chan’s/r9k/ message board on Friday, according to a local ABC News affiliate, one day after a gunman opened fire at a community college in Oregon and killed 10, including himself.
On the night prior to Thursday’s massacre, a 4chan user wrote “Don’t go to school tomorrow if you are in the northwest” on the /r9k/ message board.
Authorities have yet to make a formal connection between the post and the Oregon gunman, Christopher Sean Harper-Mercer. Federal law enforcement officials confirmed previously that they are investigating reports that he may have foreshadowed his rampage on the same forum.
“Since the shooting last week at a community college in Oregon, the FBI has seen similar social media postings throughout the country,” Drexel University said in a press release addressing Monday’s concerns.
“We don’t take these things lightly and we feel that information is power and we want the Penn community to be aware,” added Maureen Rush, the vice president for public safety at the University of Pennsylvania’s nearby Philly campus.
• Andrew Blake can be reached at ablake@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.