DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Classes have resumed at Bethune-Cookman University after a call threatening violence prompted a lockdown on Monday.
Students walking to class on Tuesday said they were forced to shelter in their dorm rooms for several hours.
“It was just kind of, like, a pretty scary intense situation,” Amir Moore said. “The thoughts of a bomb threat being at this campus is pretty intimidating.”
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Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said the department received a call early Monday from someone reporting they had placed several explosives disguised in duffel bags and backpacks around the Daytona Beach campus.
Young said the caller claimed to be affiliated with a neo-Nazi organization and also made a threat of a shooting.
The university was under lockdown for several hours until police said the campus had been cleared, and classes were canceled for the day.
Young said the FBI is leading the investigation into the threat as B-CU was one of at least six historically Black universities responding to bomb threats on Monday.
Along with B-CU, similar threats were made to Howard University in Washington, D.C.; Bowie State University in Maryland; Southern University and A&M College in Louisiana; and Delaware State University.
Several other universities reported threats early Tuesday as well.
“It makes us feel like there are people that are targeting us and treating us differently,” Sophomore Isaiah Davis said. “Hopefully, nothing happens and this is all just a threat and a bluff and everybody stays safe out there.”
While campus activities have returned to normal at B-CU, Daytona Beach Police said additional officers would remain on and around campus until further notice.