Clark Atlanta University grew to become the newest traditionally Black school and college to confront a campus risk this week, heightening considerations over a sequence of incidents which have unsettled HBCUs throughout the nation.

On Thursday, the college issued a shelter-in-place order, calling it a precautionary measure to safeguard college students, college, and employees. In an announcement, directors confirmed the lockdown however provided no particulars in regards to the nature of the risk.

“We are currently addressing a situation on campus that requires a shelter-in-place notice,” the announcement learn. “Our priority is the safety of all students, faculty, and staff.”

No accidents have been reported, and police haven’t introduced arrests. Still, the response was vital. Atlanta police, campus safety, and SWAT officers swept the grounds as helicopters circled above. Students described the expertise as surreal and scary.

“I was in class, being a scholar like I usually am. Then I get an email saying shelter in place, I’m like, what?” one pupil recalled. Another mentioned, “I have really bad anxiety, so I started shaking. I got scared. I called my mom and my daddy, everybody.”

The impression rippled to nearby campuses. Spelman College tightened safety at its two predominant entrances and advised college students to stay indoors, whereas Morris Brown College issued its personal shelter-in-place order. Spelman later said on Instagram that a number of HBCUs had obtained threats, although none particularly focused its campus.

Similar threats surfaced outdoors Georgia. Southern University in Louisiana, Alabama State University, Hampton University in Virginia, and Virginia State University additionally enacted lockdowns following potential threats.

These incidents echo a troubling sample. In 2022, greater than 50 HBCUs and about 20 predominantly Black establishments reported bomb threats, typically delivered via telephone calls or social media. The FBI and Department of Homeland Security later devoted thousands and thousands of {dollars} to bolster campus safety and strengthen emergency responses.

For Clark Atlanta college students, the newest risk underscored an uneasy actuality. “There’s been a lot of HBCUs under threat recently, and it just happens to be that one of them is Clark Atlanta,” mentioned one pupil. “First of all, none of them should be under threat anytime.”

Though Thursday’s warning proved unfounded, the ambiance of concern was unmistakable. Many college students left with the lasting picture of helicopters, SWAT groups, and uncertainty hovering over their campus.