California State University, Long Beach is stepping up security after a shooting threat was left scrawled inside a bathroom stall on campus.
With final exams looming next week, the stress of a school shooting threat is something students don’t need.
The message said “School Shooter tm (tomorrow) Be Warned 5-9,” indicating May 9. A student who discovered the message posted it to social media, saying that it had already been reported, but also told other students to be careful.
The university issued a statement saying, “An initial assessment is that there is no immediate threat to the campus. Similar messages have been found recently at other institutions. However, the university will enhance police presence as an added precaution. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.”
One professor told students that office hours would not be held, and apologized to students who are “in this age of threats.”
The threat comes on the day the university is installing emergency kits on campus that would help in the event of a school shooting. Those kits contain tourniquets and other medical aid supplies. First responders will be on campus providing demonstrations on how to use them.
Greg Bunton is a CSULB building tech, and has worked at the university for 43 years. He lamented that this has become a new norm for students.
“It’s a very stressful time for them, so to add this on top of that, I can understand how they would feel very threatened,” Bunton said. “But we have campus police. They’ve doubled the security, so they’re doing a great job.”
The medical kits event is taking place at 10 a.m. near the Student Rec and Wellness Center.