Earlier today the FBI, in collaboration with ATF, sent an advisory warning to Philadelphia area colleges regarding a social media threat of gun violence posted on Friday, Oct. 2nd.
The threat stated that on Monday, October 5th at 1:00 CST (2:00pm EST), armed violence will begin "against a university near Philadelphia". There are references to a Men's Rights Activists (MRA) movement known as "The Beta Rebellion"; a diary posted a few days ago went in-depth on this issue - check it out here. Please post a link in the comments if you have this bookmarked, I want to include it in the diary.
The social media thread, posted on the website 4chan, referenced the shooting in Oregon earlier this week and spoke of continuing this streak of violence.
Warnings have been sent out by many area colleges and universities. Drexel University's public safety announcement can be read here, Penn's can be read here.
"Although the FBI has assured us there is no specific threat to a particular college or university, we are taking this very seriously and are taking extra precautions to protect the Drexel community," a Drexel University official wrote.
If you are a student in a Philly-area college, or are the parent/grandparent/friend of a student, please inform them of this warning. Alerts have been sent to many colleges, and students are checking in on
this Reddit thread in the Philadelphia sub-reddit. A link to the actual 4chan post can be found there as well - I won't link to it here.
Many times these posts on 4chan are nothing but noise, but apparently the Oregon shooter posted on the very same board announcing his intentions the day before. Even if there is plenty of noise, where there is signal, it's devastating. Be vigilant out there.
A list of colleges/universities in or around Philadelphia is below. If you know anyone that attends these schools, or attend one yourself, please be alert tomorrow. If I've missed a local area college, please let me know and I will update the list.
-University of Pennsylvania
-Drexel University
-Temple University
-University of the Sciences
-Philadelphia University
-The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill
-Jefferson University
-University of the Arts
-Pennsylvania Institute of Technology
-Community College of Philadelphia
-Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
-Moore College of Art and Design
-Arcadia University
-Chestnut Hill College
-Curtis Institute of Music
-Villanova University
-St. Joseph's University
-LaSalle University
-Rutgers University - Camden
-Swarthmore College
-Bryn Mawr College
-Cabrini College
-Widener University
-Haverford College
-West Chester University
-Cheyney University
-Eastern University
-Bryn Athyn College
-Ursinus College
-Bucks, Delaware and Montgomery Community Colleges
-Delaware Valley College
-Immaculata University
-Gwynedd Mercy University
-University of Valley Forge