University of Missouri Racism Update – Hunter Michael Park , 19, has been identified as the Mizzou “shoot black people” online threat suspect. Park lives in St. Louis, according to a Mother Jones report.
University of Missouri Online Threats Update: Mizzou campus police officers have arrested a suspect in the social media death threats case. The suspect was not located on or near the Columbia, Missouri, campus when making the threat, according to a USA Today report.
University of Missouri online threats have abounded after the college president stepped down and assistant professor Melissa Click tried to kick a reporter off school grounds.
A notice posted on the University of Missouri campus on Tuesday evening alerted the public that campus police officers have been made aware of “social media threats” and have launched an investigation into the matter, MSN reports. One of the online threats read, “I’m going to stand my ground tomorrow and shoot every black person I see.”
mizzou Student govs join together at quad to provide protection for #ConceredStudent1950 bc of shooting threat pic.twitter.com/TtITchtbtz
— collier meyerson (@collier) November 11, 2015
The Mizzou online threats were reportedly posted by users of at least two different accounts. University of Missouri campus police Captain Brian Weimer told the Associated Press that additional officers had been assigned to the Mizzou grounds before officials had been alerted about the online threats. The university police are working with other local and state law enforcement agencies to secure the campus, Captain Weimer also said.
Another University of Missouri online threat posted to social media read, “Some of you are alright. Don’t go to campus tomorrow,” according to an ABC News report.
The Mizzou online emergency information center issued a tweet stating that “no immediate threat” is known to be present on campus and urged students not to spread rumors about the social media threats.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr , racial slurs which were allegedly shouted at a black member of the Mizzou student government from a pickup truck driving by campus prompted weekslong protests and ultimately the resignation of Mizzou president Tim Wolfe and chancellor R. Bowen Loftin. Members of the Legions of Black Collegians, including a recently retired deputy chancellor, said racial slurs were shouted at them by a drunken white student while they were practicing their homecoming performance in October.
Supporters of the Concerned Student 1950 movement cheered the decision to step down by the men, others are still baffled that school officials caved in to protesters over the anonymous alleged incidents by individuals who might not even be students. Outrage by protesters was largely ignored until 30 black members of the football team threatened to boycott an upcoming game — which would have reportedly caused a loss of $1 million for the university.
David Wallace, a representative for the Missouri Students Association, had asked that classes be cancelled today due to the online threats.
“It’s really disheartening and proves the point of why these protests and boycotts were necessary,” Gaby Rodriguez, a senior at the University of Missouri. said. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt this unsafe at Mizzou.”
After the Concerned Student 1950 protests and the resignation of Tim Wolfe, the position of vice chancellor for inclusion, diversity, and equity was created. Associate dean and black law professor Chuck Henson was appointed to the interim position. The Board of Curators, a governing body at the school, announced that they will be launching new initiatives which will include support for the hiring of a more diverse faculty and review policies related to student conduct.
First Amendment concerns have been raised amid the University of Missouri and Melissa Click controversy. Will the new student policies at Mizzou infringe upon free speech?
[Image via Mark Schierbecker / AP]