Top Law School Closed Today Due To Threat Of Violence

Looks like law students at one T14 school are getting an extra day of vacation... except it isn't for a reason anyone would wish.

Looks like law students at the University of Chicago Law School are getting an extra day of vacation… except it isn’t for a reason anyone would wish. The University of Chicago has closed all classes and activities on its Hyde Park campus — which includes the law school — after receiving a warning from the FBI yesterday that there was a threat of gun violence against the school. The University has issued a school-wide memo detailing the threat:

The University was informed by FBI counterterrorism officials today (Sunday) that an unknown individual posted an online threat of gun violence against the University of Chicago, specifically mentioning “the campus quad” on Monday morning at 10 a.m. Based on the FBI’s assessment of this threat and recent tragic events at other campuses across the country, we have decided in consultation with federal and local law enforcement officials, to exercise caution by canceling all classes and activities on the Hyde Park campus through midnight on Monday.

As a result of this unsettling news, the school will beef up security:

In response to the threat, the University will have an increased police and security presence on and around campus, including police personnel with visible weapons and other additional measures. University security personnel are keeping in close contact with the FBI, which is continuing to investigate the threat.

It is good to know the school is taking this threat seriously and is working with law enforcement to ensure the safety of its community. But… this makes me sad and nostalgic for the “good old days” when students could hope and pray for an unexpected day off of school for something fun like a snow day — yes, even in a “snow tough” place like Chicago, which requires some serious winter weather before the routine of daily life is disrupted. Worrying about a hail of snowballs is infinitely superior than worrying about a hail of bullets.

Stay safe everyone.

UPDATE (12/1/2015, 8:30 a.m.): The law school has reopened — and an arrest has been made. Flip to the next page for the complete message from president Robert J. Zimmer.

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