Threats prompt increased security at University of Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The University of Missouri Police Department increased security on campus Tuesday night after threats were posted on social media.
CBS Columbia affiliate KRCG reporters saw several school police and Missouri State Highway Patrol cars on campus near Speaker's Circle Tuesday evening.
MUPD Maj. Brian Weimer said the police department was aware of several threats posted on social media sites.
The school newspaper, the Missourian, said Weimer told it no campus buildings had been evacuated on campus as of 9 p.m. Tuesday.
The paper added that the MU Legion of Black Collegians tweeted it wouldn't hold a senate meeting Wednesday. "Stay home, Stay safe," the tweet read.
The paper also reported that, "MU's Army ROTC sent an email telling its students to dress in civilian clothes on Tuesday and Wednesday; Wednesday is Veteran's Day. The ROTC canceled its Wednesday morning physical training session."
Another school paper, The Maneater, tweeted late Tuesday that two sororities, Phi Mu and Tri Delta, were on lockdown.
The campus has been the site of increasing protests over the last week about the way racists incidents have been handled. On Monday, university system president Tim Wolfe and the top administrator of the Columbia campus, Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, announced their resignations.
One of the threats was posted to the messaging service YikYak, in which someone said they would "stand my ground and shoot every black person I see."
Major Weimer said there was also a threat called into the Black Culture Center on campus. He wouldn't elaborate on the nature of the threat. The doors to the Black Culture Center were locked as a precaution.
Campus police said they were continuing to investigate the threats.