Public schools in Los Angeles were suddenly closed and students sent home Tuesday after authorities electronically received what officials are describing as a credible bomb threat, the New York Times reports.
Ramon C. Cortines, the superintendent of schools, said that schools would be kept closed until police were able to search all buildings to ensure campus safety in the district, which educates 640,000 students from kindergarten through 12th grade at more than 900 schools and 187 charter schools.
“A threat had been made to not one school but many schools in this district,” Cortines said at a press conference, according to the Times. “Some of the details talked about backpacks and other packages. After talking with him, also with the board president, I made a decision to close all of the schools.”
The threat comes less than two weeks after the horrific attack in San Bernardino, Calif., that left 14 dead and 22 injured. Cortines noted that although there have been threats in the past couple of weeks since the San Bernardino mass shooting, this threat—which was directed at multiple schools—prompted a more serious response.
"I’ve asked the plant managers to walk the school and, if they see anything that is out of order, to call the police. Not to touch anything, but if they see anything out of line, to contact the proper authorities,” Cortines said.
According to the Times, schools in New York City received a similar threat Tuesday, but officials decided that it was a hoax.
Read more at the New York Times.