Trinity College In Hartford Closed After Professor's Online Threats

HARTFORD, CT — Trinity College closed for the day early Wednesday afternoon and will remain closed until further notice in response to threatening statements made on social media by a staff professor.

Following the June 14 shooting of a U.S. congressman and several other people at a baseball practice in suburban Washington, D.C., associate professor of sociology Johnny Eric Williams stated on his Facebook page, "It is past time for the racially oppressed to do what people who believe themselves to be ‘white’ will not do, put end to the vectors of their destructive mythology of whiteness and their white supremacy system. #LetThemF–ingDie."

Another post read, "The time is now to confront these inhuman a-holes and end this now."

Around noon Wednesday, the college issued a statement on Twitter reading, "Due to threats received and out of an abundance of caution, all campus buildings are card ID access only. Stay tuned." Shortly thereafter, a second tweet stated the campus "is closed until further notice."

In an email, college spokesperson Kathryn Andrews said, "I can confirm that Trinity has received multiple threats and, out of an abundance of caution, we have closed campus for the rest of the day. Our president is working on a statement, which we anticipate issuing soon."

Hartford Deputy Police Chief Brian Foley tweeted, "HPD Crime Center analysts investigating non-specific threats involving @trinitycollege. No immediate danger to students or staff."

Photo credit: Trinity College