HSSU

First Day of Black History Month: Harris-Stowe Joins Nationwide HBCU Bomb Threat Wave

Tuesday, February 1, 2022MObomb threatemergency notificationmedium confidence

Confirmed HoaxDetermined to be a hoax. The institutional response is documented because it reveals how the alert system performed under a perceived real threat.

On February 1, 2022, the first day of Black History Month, Harris-Stowe State University shut down after receiving a bomb threat as part of a nationwide campaign targeting HBCUs. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and FBI investigated and checked all campus buildings. Campus was closed by 10:00 AM and reopened hours later. No bombs were found.

Alerts: 2
Response: —
Killed: —
Injured: —

Institution

Harris-Stowe State University

Hbcu · MO

~1,500 studentsHarris-Stowe RAVE Alert

Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTmulti-channelMorning of February 1, 2022, before 10:00 AM CST

Approximate reconstruction229 chars

HSSU ALERT: Harris-Stowe State University has received a bomb threat. Campus is closing immediately. All students, faculty, and staff should evacuate. Do not return to campus until further notice. SLMPD and FBI are investigating.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Campus was closed by 10:00 AM CST on February 1, 2022, the first day of Black History Month

HSSU was part of a nationwide wave of HBCU bomb threats that also hit Philander Smith College and Arkansas Baptist College the same day

Both SLMPD and the FBI were called in to investigate and check all campus buildings

ALL CLEARmulti-channelAfternoon of February 1, 2022

Approximate reconstruction180 chars

HSSU ALERT UPDATE: Harris-Stowe State University has been declared safe. No bombs were found. Campus is reopening. All campus activities are cancelled for the remainder of the day.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Campus reopened the same day after SLMPD and FBI found no bombs

Despite reopening, all campus activities were cancelled for the rest of the day

Context

Background

On February 1, 2022, the first day of Black History Month, Harris-Stowe State University shut down its campus after receiving a bomb threat. KCUR reported that the threat was part of a nationwide wave targeting HBCUs, with multiple institutions affected the same day including Philander Smith College and Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock. The St. Louis Metropolitan Police and FBI investigated and checked all campus buildings. Campus was closed by 10:00 AM and reopened hours later with no bombs found, though activities were cancelled for the day. The St. Louis American covered the all-clear announcement. The FBI later determined that most of the 2022 HBCU bomb threats were likely made by a single juvenile.

Analysis

Key Findings

The February 1 timing — first day of Black History Month — was deliberate and symbolic, adding a layer of targeted intimidation

Harris-Stowe is one of the smallest HBCUs (enrollment ~1,500), meaning the threat affected a proportionally larger share of the community

The FBI later attributed the nationwide HBCU bomb threat campaign to a single juvenile suspect

Outcome

No bombs were found. Campus reopened the same day, though all campus activities were cancelled for the remainder of the day.

Provenance

Sources

News
Harris-Stowe shuts down campus following bomb threats (STLPR)
stlpr.org
News
Harris-Stowe shuts down campus (KCUR)
kcur.org
News
Harris-Stowe latest HBCU to receive bomb threat (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
stltoday.com
News
Harris-Stowe declared safe following bomb threat (St. Louis American)
stlamerican.com

Alert Sequence

Background

Key Findings

Sources

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