Bomb threat shuts down Charles R. Drew University, an HBCU medical school in L.A.

Charles R. Drew University closed its campus Tuesday after receiving a bomb threat, officials said.

The medical campus of the historically Black college and university received a bomb threat early Sunday morning that led to the campus’ closure.

The Los Angeles Times obtained a copy of the threat sent from an individual who identified as being a white, male, Neo-Nazi fascist who alleges to have planted three titanium nitrite sulfuric bombs around the eastern and northern parts of campus. The bombs were allegedly going to detonate around 1 p.m. Sunday.

“I want to show the Black population what the white man can do, we will take back our land!” the threat said.

Jonathan Zaleski, director of communications for Charles Drew University, said in an email statement that the university officials only discovered the emailed threat on Tuesday. The emailed threat was sent “to a generic university email address” to CDU President David M. Carlisle.

“Out of an abundance of caution, CDU immediately closed the entire campus and notified authorities,” Zaleski said. “The safety of the campus is currently being assessed. The campus will remain closed until it is determined that it is safe to reopen.”

Last week, at least eight HBCU campuses were targeted with bomb threats, including Howard University in Washington, D.C., and Xavier University in Louisiana. A bomb threat also forced the evacuation of Mt. San Antonio College last Tuesday, although nothing was found in a search of the Walnut campus.

Sergeant Ronnie Borges with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said no devices have been found.

“We’re still doing an investigation as far as who may be responsible, but nothing significant at this point,” said Sgt Ronnie Borges from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The university opened in 1966 in the Willowbrook neighborhood and is named after Dr. Charles R. Drew, a Black physician from the early and mid-20th century who focused on blood banking and blood plasma storage and transfusion. He was also a distinguished surgeon and chair of surgery at Howard University.

Over 80% of Charles Drew University students are from communities of color and more than 71% of campus faculty are people of color, according to the college’s website.

Since opening its campus, the college has graduated more than 600 physicians, 1,225 physician assistants and nearly 1,600 other health professionals, as well as trained over 2,700 physician specialists through its sponsored residency programs. Its School of Nursing has graduated over 1,300 nursing professionals, including more than 950 family nurse practitioners.

Times staff writer Anita Chabria contributed to this report.