President Linda Mills said the university took “every precaution” after receiving two hoax email threats this morning — including a bomb threat targeting Palladium Hall — adding that several other academic institutions received similar notices.
Mills identified the emails as “swatting” incidents — threats made with the intention of inciting a response by police or a large emergency to cause disruption. She said Fordham University, Alcorn State University, Villanova University and several New York City public grade schools also received similar threats.
“While we are, of course, relieved the threatened actions did not materialize, that does not minimize the impact that aggrieved communities must feel for being targeted,” Mills said.
According to a 7:25 a.m. Campus Safety alert, the two threats specifically targeted Palladium Hall and the Silver Center for Arts and Science. They reportedly contained anti-LGBTQ+, anti-Black, anti-Asian, Islamophobic, antisemitic and anti-Jesuit language, although no other details on the content of the emails were disclosed.
Campus Safety sent a second alert at 8:25 a.m., stating that law enforcement had given both buildings the all-clear and that operations could resume as normal.
Despite law enforcement deeming the swatting threats as non-credible, the university will remain on heightened alert. Mills also reminded the NYU community of the active threat preparedness online training that was implemented this semester, which all staff and students are required to complete.
Contact Eva Mundo at [email protected].