Suspect Who Threatened Shooting at UofC Wanted to 'Rid the World of White Devils'

A suspect has been arrested in connection with a threat made to the University of Chicago, which caused the school to cancel all classes and activities at its Hyde Park campus on Monday.

“Charges are pending, and no further information is available at this time,” said the FBI in a statement on Monday afternoon.

According to a statement from the University of Illinois at Chicago, the suspect arrested was a UIC student living off-campus.

“UIC Police have been cooperating with its law enforcement partners since the threats became known,” read the statement from a UIC spokesperson. “No threats were made against UIC students, faculty or staff, but the UIC Police have increased patrols on campus.”

The Chicago Tribune has reported that the threat was to kill 16 white male students or staff in an effort at retaliation for the death of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, and it was made on World Star Hip Hop:

The commenter threatened to shoot and kill students, staff and police on the campus at 10 a.m. Monday and then kill himself, citing the fatal shooting last year of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald by a Chicago police officer. The officer, who shot McDonald 16 times, was charged last week with first-degree murder.

“This is my only warning. At 10AM Monday morning, I’m going to the campus quad of the University of Chicago. I will be armed with an M-4 carbine and two desert eagles, all fully loaded. I will execute approximately 16 white male students and or staff, which is the same number of time McDonald was killed,” wrote the commenter, who posted with the initials “JRD” and a Chicago Bulls logo, according to the police report. “I will then die killing any number of white policeman in the process. This is not a joke. I am to do my part and rid the world of white devils. I expect you do the same.”