BOAZ– A decision has been made by officials at Snead State Community College in Boaz to close their campuses after a threat against the school was made on an online message board.
According to reports the Boaz Police Department will increase patrols around the campus on Monday, October 19.
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Update: 10/15/15, 3:00 p.m. We do not have new information indicating that the threat we’ve received is credible or non-credible. However, after much consideration and consultation with the Chancellor of the Alabama Community College System, and because the safety of our students and our employees is our highest priority, we have chosen to close all campuses of Snead State Community College on Monday, Oct. 19.”
Here is the first statement issued by Snead Community College:
Snead State Community College
Office of Security
October 15, 2015
On Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015, Snead State Community College in Boaz, AL, was contacted by the Birmingham Police Department after they had been alerted of the existence of an online threat directed toward Snead State Community College. The written threat was made via an anonymous message board and stated, “RIP to all the people that died in the Snead State Community College shooting in Alabama on 10/19/15.” The Birmingham Police Department was made aware of the threat by an area “Fusion Center” which serves to notify authorities of online threats. The Birmingham Police Department Criminal Intelligence Unit then notified the Director of Security at Snead State Community College as well as the Boaz Police Department. All parties requested discretion and privacy in initiating the investigatory phase of this development.
Working in collaboration with the College, the Birmingham Police Department, Boaz Police Department, Alabama Fusion Center, Homeland Security, and FBI are actively investigating the threat and its credibility. Snead State Community College has no higher priority than the safety of its students, employees, and visitors on campus, and welcomes the joint effort of all agencies involved.
At this specific time, Snead State Community College can neither dismiss such information as non-credible nor confirm the credibility of the anonymous threat.
A greater presence of law enforcement will be on campus this Monday, Oct. 19, 2015.
As the investigation and communication between agencies continue, Snead State Community College is providing timely warning and notification in keeping with established policies, practices, and standards set forth by the Jeanne Clery Act, which guides institutions of higher learning in disseminating such information. Submitting such notification to students and employees is a discretionary decision at this stage of the investigation and in no way represents that the College expects any unusual events on Monday, October 19, 2015.
However, if any student does not feel safe coming to campus on Monday, please inform the faculty member(s) of the classes you will miss to arrange for make-up work. If any employee does not feel safe coming to campus on Monday, please contact your supervisor to let them know (faculty members please inform your Division Director).
Finally, should law enforcement investigators find evidence to deem the threat as credible, the College will be closed. Should this occur, students and employees will be notified of the closing through the College website, social media and Campus Alert system.”
