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Los Angeles schools have been closed due to a threat emailed to the school district, two weeks after the deadly attacks in California.

The shutdown closed more than 1,000 schools attended by 640,000 students across the city and beyond.

Isn't the closure of a 1000 schools a slight over reaction to an emailed threat ?

I think it's a bit of an over-kill, but I believe that the powers-that-be felt the threat was serioius. After all they haven't published the e-mail have they ? So people would just have to take their word for it that it was a seriious threat and to be taken seriously. I expect that the authorities in America felt they dare not discount that email. Supposing they did and it turned out to be serious and several schools were targetted with bombs. What sort of repercussions would there be then ? I expect this was uppermost in their minds - keeping all the children safe.

G#Gill;1490512 wrote: I think it's a bit of an over-kill, but I believe that the powers-that-be felt the threat was serioius. After all they haven't published the e-mail have they ? So people would just have to take their word for it that it was a seriious threat and to be taken seriously. I expect that the authorities in America felt they dare not discount that email. Supposing they did and it turned out to be serious and several schools were targetted with bombs. What sort of repercussions would there be then ? I expect this was uppermost in their minds - keeping all the children safe.


Or, more likely the concern of accountability if it turned out to be real.

I am feeling a cynical today, after trying to watch the GOP debate/circus last night.

LarsMac;1490520 wrote: Or, more likely the concern of accountability if it turned out to be real.

I am feeling a cynical today, after trying to watch the GOP debate/circus last night.


I think you've just hit the nail on the proverbial head.

I worked for a company where we were shut down twice because of bomb threats.

After the second time, I talked to the security guy in charge who said they had many of such threats but did not tell me why they took those two seriously enough to shut down operations and evacuate 1200 employees from the facilities.

No bomb was ever found.

Apparently the email threat to New York was not identical to the one in LA.

All that said, how about some adult decisions before shutting down the whole darn system?

tude dog;1490534 wrote: I worked for a company where we were shut down twice because of bomb threats.

After the second time, I talked to the security guy in charge who said they had many of such threats but did not tell me why they took those two seriously enough to shut down operations and evacuate 1200 employees from the facilities.

No bomb was ever found.

Apparently the email threat to New York was not identical to the one in LA.

All that said, how about some adult decisions before shutting down the whole darn system?


At the hight of the IRA troubles my wife's place of work was evacuated, on average, once a week due to bomb threats - they knew which to take note of because they included pre-agreed code words showing that they came from the IRA.

Bryn Mawr;1490542 wrote: At the hight of the IRA troubles my wife's place of work was evacuated, on average, once a week due to bomb threats - they knew which to take note of because they included pre-agreed code words showing that they came from the IRA.


There was a history of threats carried out, with blood on streets throughout the country.

I wonder how many threats were boldly and wisely ignored back then.

What sort of mentality could react instantly to a random email threat ?

The one in NYC was dubbed a hoax because Bill Bratton, our Police Commissioner, immediately took note that although Allah was used twice but was capitalized only once. He felt a real fanatic would never have done this so did not cancel school. Tude, was that the same in L.A.?

AnneBoleyn;1490550 wrote: The one in NYC was dubbed a hoax because Bill Bratton, our Police Commissioner, immediately took note that although Allah was used twice but was capitalized only once. He felt a real fanatic would never have done this so did not cancel school. Tude, was that the same in L.A.?


Here is the text of the LA threat

I am emailing you to inform you of the happenings on Tuesday, 12/15/15.

Something big is going down. Something very big. It will make national headlines. Perhaps, even international ones. You see, my last 4 years here at one of the district high schools has been absolute hell. Pure, unmitigated, agony. The bullying, the loneliness, the rejection... it is never-ending. And for what? Just because I'm 'different'?

No. No more. I am a devout Muslim, and was once against violence, but I have teamed up with a local jihadist cell as it is the only way I'll be able to accomplish my massacre the correct way. I would not be able to do it alone. Me, and my 32 comrades, will die tomorrow in the name of Allah. Every school in the L.A. Unified district is being targeted. We have bombs hidden in lockers already at several schools. They are strategically placed and are meant to crumble the foundations of the very buildings that monger so much hate and discrimination. They are pressure cooker bombs, hidden in backpacks around the schools. They are loaded with 20 lbs. of gunpowder, for maximum damage. They will be detonated via Cell Phone. Not only are there bombs, but there are nerve gas agents set to go off at a specific time: during lunch hour. To top it off, my brothers in Allah and I have Kalashnikov rifles, Glock 18 Machine pistols, and multiple handheld grenades. The students at every school in the L.A. Unified district will be massacred, mercilessly. And there is nothing you can do to stop it.

If you do end up trying to, by perhaps, beefing up security, or canceling classes for the day, it won't matter. Your security will not be able to stop us. We are an army of Allah. If you cancel classes, the bombings will take place regardless, and we will bring our guns to the streets and offices of Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Bakersfield, and San Diego.

I wish you the best luck. It is time to pray to allah, as this may be your last day.


ABC EYEWITENSS NEWS

Some time between 8:30 a.m. and 9, police investigators determined with confidence that the email did not represent a threat. Soon after, the department learned that a similar email had been received in Los Angeles, the law enforcement official said. Shortly after 9 a.m., police officials in New York contacted their counterparts in that city.



“After an analysis, we have determined that the emails were the exact same wording with the exception of putting in the cities’ names and changing the number of people who were supposed to be participating in the threatened attacks on schools, said Stephen Davis, the New York Police Department’s top spokesman.

“Other than that, Mr. Davis said, “it was a cut-and-paste job.

Mr. Bratton said that whoever wrote the emails may have been familiar with the television drama “Homeland, because the threats mirrored the plot of recent episodes of the terrorism-themed program.

“It’s not something to be concerned with, Mr. Bratton said. “What we would be concerned with is overreacting to it. We stay aware. We stay in control.


NY TIMES

Be happy that disillusioned youth have a less fatal outlet to get that moment of fame.......these days an email causes the same thrill as a school yard massacre.....now that's progress.