We’re learning a little bit more about the threats to schools in Los Angeles and New York City.
First up, the threat in Los Angeles was an email that reportedly originated in Frankfurt, Germany:
Threat emailed to #LAUSD board member that prompted school closures traced to IP address in Germany, sources say https://t.co/VrPHzfH7fB
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 15, 2015
#BREAKING: Email threat to Los Angeles schools came from Frankfurt, Germany, acc. to @LASchools spokesperson @CNN https://t.co/mJWstJa4Ux
— Ashleigh Banfield (@TVAshleigh) December 15, 2015
And the NYPD reported that the threat it received against schools in NYC was “nearly identical” to the one received in Los Angeles:
#BREAKING: #NYPD investigating "hoax" school threat; police say email nearly identical to @LASchools threat @CNN https://t.co/euCy0ARlPj
— Ashleigh Banfield (@TVAshleigh) December 15, 2015
Well, then … why did Los Angeles close all of its schools while NYC did not?
NYPD Commisioner William Bratton speculated that the person who emailed in the threat might be a fan of Showtime’s “Homeland”:
"I think the instigator of the threat may be a 'Homeland' fan… it mirrors a lot of recent episodes on 'Homeland'" –NYPD's @CommissBratton
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) December 15, 2015
Recommended
.@CommissBratton: The person who sent in school threat sounds like a @SHO_Homeland fan. https://t.co/Rww48Kn7oW
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) December 15, 2015
California Rep. Brad Sherman told CNN that he’s read the threatening email and that some of what’s in it lacked credibility in his opinion. But he also said the person who sent the email claimed to be an “extremist Muslim jihadist” with “32 accomplices” and “nerve agent”:
Rep. @BradSherman on email threat to #LAUSD schools: "At least some of the details of the threat lack credibility" https://t.co/HMgqwZDssV
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) December 15, 2015
Scary stuff. And we’re not sure Rep. Sherman’s assurance that the threat lacked credibility is in any way reassuring.
Update with comments from the LAPD on the threat:
#LAUSD @LAMayorsOffice:Threat was via email and threatened "a number of forms of violence." That "weapons and things were already in place."
— Frank Buckley (@FrankBuckleyTV) December 15, 2015
#LAUSD @LAPDChiefBeck: Threat specified "assault rifles and machine pistols."
— Frank Buckley (@FrankBuckleyTV) December 15, 2015
#LAUSD @LAPDChiefBeck: "We are still vetting this threat."
— Frank Buckley (@FrankBuckleyTV) December 15, 2015
WATCH: @LAPDChiefBeck says he supports #LAUSD's decision to close schools after threat https://t.co/zgvNy6NfF5 https://t.co/JOfV4XQ4qC
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 15, 2015
In news conf, LA officials defensive re: shutting down schools over threat FBI & NYC thought not serious. Mayor looked most uncomfortable.
— Brit Hume (@brithume) December 15, 2015
Editor’s note: This post has been updated.
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