Northern Illinois University

NIU on high-alert after threats

December 10, 2007
FROM STNG WIRE REPORTS
Northern Illinois University will be closed Monday, partially because of threatening graffiti discovered Saturday.

The university will be closed Monday because of "icy streets and sidewalks and poor travel conditions, coupled with concerns and questions related to the … campus alert," according to NIU's Web site, which said Monday's finals have been rescheduled for Friday.

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• NIU: Campus alert updates
Late Saturday, an unknown person posted bathroom graffiti in the Grant Towers D complex residence hall that included a racial slur and a reference to the Virginia Tech shootings that killed 33 students in April, according to an alert released by the university.

The black ink on the stall read, "Tell those n---ers to go home," and "ME/OUT…Die Sem Burr 10th … Hmz Sdn Cr," which officials believe refers to "December 10" and "Holmes Student Center," the alert said. Letters underlined in the first entry spell out "WATCH."

Another set of comments scrawled beneath the first entry reads, "What time? The VA tech shooters messed up w/ having only one shooter…"

University officials notified all students, facility and staff about the threat via email, through their website and are working on distributing fliers throughout the campus.

Security school-wide has been increased and NIU has called upon local law enforcement to assist them in making sure the campus stays safe.

"We are aware of the threat and will assist NIU," a DeKalb police dispatcher said. Police from other communities surrounding the university will be assisting as well, he said.

Throughout the week the university will offer assistance for concerned students. Officials called for a meeting of residence hall advisors Sunday to keep them informed and make sure they can help dorm students frightened of the threats, according to a NIU student.

"My primary concern is for the safety of all members of our campus community and to that end, we err on the side of caution in all our actions," NIU President John Peters said in a statement. "We will not tolerate threats against individuals or groups nor will we tolerate 'hate speech' of any type on this campus."

A NIU student said Sunday he thinks the school being forthright with information and hopes the threats are unfounded.

The alert stated that the school community should remain "calm and vigilant" and anyone with information about the threats should call the NIU Tipline at (815) 753-TIPS or local police.

Northern Illinois University in DeKalb has been closed on Monday, following a threat written on a bathroom wall, which includes a racial slur and reference to the Virginia Tech shooting.

"Tell those n---ers to go home," and "ME/OUT…Die Sem Burr 10th … Hmz Sdn Cr," read the black ink on the wall, which officials believe refers to "December 10" and "Holmes Student Center" the alert said. The whole note had as headline the word "WATCH."

"What time? The VA tech shooters messed up w/ having only one shooter…" was written beneath the first entry, making reference to the April 16 Virginia Tech massacres, where a gunman killed 32 students before killing himself.

All the students, facility and staff were announced about the threat via email, through the university's website, university officials said. They already are working on distributing fliers throughout the campus.


"Only essential service personnel should report to work on Monday," the statement of the university said. Exams scheduled for Monday will be held on Friday.


The authorities increased the number of police officers assuring the security of the university to make sure that the campus stays safe. Moreover, police from other communities surrounding the university will be present as well.

"My primary concern is for the safety of all members of our campus community and to that end, we err on the side of caution in all our actions. We will not tolerate threats against individuals or groups nor will we tolerate 'hate speech' of any type on this campus," NIU President John Peters said in a statement.

The alert also said that members of the community should remain "calm and vigilant" and asked anyone who could provide information about the threats to call the NIU Tipline at (815) 753-TIPS or local police.