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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2015/dec/15/los-angeles-closes-public-schools-threat
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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Los Angeles school closure: search under way for unspecified threat – live | Los Angeles school closure: search under way for unspecified threat – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 5.15pm GMT17:15 | |
| In New York, police commissioner Bill Bratton has made a brief statement about a “specific but non-credible” threat received there – adding that he thinks west coast officials overreacted. The AP reports: | |
| New York Police Commissioner William Bratton said he thought Los Angeles officials overreacted by deciding to close the nation’s second-largest school system. | |
| He said a school superintendent received the threatening email Tuesday morning. | |
| Bratton said the person who wrote the note claimed to be a jihadist but made errors that made it clear the person was a prankster. | |
| NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton says NYC received a similar threat as the LA threat. Deemed it not-credible. Bratton says LA overreacted. | |
| 5.10pm GMT17:10 | |
| “Bomb incidents involving real bombs in schools are relatively rare,” according to the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, which tracked the relatively sparse data on bomb incidents and threats in a study published in 2005. | |
| Between 1990 and 2002, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) counted 1,055 incidents of bombs meant for schools – only 14 of which were preceded by a warning to the school or other authorities. | |
| Hoax threats and false alarms are far more common than actual bombing incidents, the center found, noting that one year, a single Maryland school district reported 150 bomb threats and 55 associated arrests. | |
| But officials at schools and universities often prefer to take no chances, and to investigate nearly every warning seriously. Harvard recently recently ordered evacuations and the University of Chicago cancelled classes over warnings. New York police received a “specific but noncredible” threat on Tuesday morning, with police commissioner William Bratton urging calm. | |
| .@CommissBratton: These threats are made to promote fear...we can not allow us to raise the levels of fear | |
| 4.47pm GMT16:47 | |
| School and police officials gave virtually no details of the electronic threat made against “many schools” in their first press conference Tuesday morning, but their remarks suggest they fear a bomb threat. | |
| Superintendent Ramon Cortines said he has asked school staffers to look for “anything that is out of order” but “not to touch anything, not to do anything”. | |
| The superintendent said the district police chief informed him of the threat around 5am Tuesday morning. “He shared with me that some of the details talked about backpacks, talked about other packages,” Cortines said. | |
| Cortines said the threat stood out compared to others. The Associated Press, quoting a law enforcement official speaking on condition of anonymity, said the threat was emailed to a school board member late Monday and “appeared to come from overseas”. | |
| The official added that police are still evaluating how credible the threat is, as Cortines and police said earlier Tuesday. | |
| On Monday classes were cancelled at San Bernardino Valley College because of a bomb threat there, not far from the community center where two shooters carried out a terrorist attack on 2 December, killing 14 people. | |
| 4.25pm GMT16:25 | 4.25pm GMT16:25 |
| Los Angeles public transport will be free for LAUSD students, thanks to mayor Eric Garcetti, who’s trying to ease chaotic and clogged traffic around the sprawling city. | Los Angeles public transport will be free for LAUSD students, thanks to mayor Eric Garcetti, who’s trying to ease chaotic and clogged traffic around the sprawling city. |
| I have arranged with @metrolosangeles for LAUSD students to ride Metro buses and trains free today given school closures. | I have arranged with @metrolosangeles for LAUSD students to ride Metro buses and trains free today given school closures. |
| 4.19pm GMT16:19 | 4.19pm GMT16:19 |
| The school district has scheduled an update at 9am Pacific (12pm Eastern, 5pm GMT), and a hotline for parents – although there are reports that the line is already overwhelmed with calls. | The school district has scheduled an update at 9am Pacific (12pm Eastern, 5pm GMT), and a hotline for parents – although there are reports that the line is already overwhelmed with calls. |
| The massive district, the second-largest in the US, encompasses 900 schools and more than 700,000 students. Its neighboring districts are still open, and police say they know of no threats beyond the message about the LAUSD. | The massive district, the second-largest in the US, encompasses 900 schools and more than 700,000 students. Its neighboring districts are still open, and police say they know of no threats beyond the message about the LAUSD. |
| Updated at 4.22pm GMT | Updated at 4.22pm GMT |
| 4.10pm GMT16:10 | 4.10pm GMT16:10 |
| Los Angeles school police are trying to reunite parents with children, and told guardians they can text ‘laspd’ to 888777 to sign up for updates. | Los Angeles school police are trying to reunite parents with children, and told guardians they can text ‘laspd’ to 888777 to sign up for updates. |
| The police are also requiring guardians bring ID when they go to reunion gates at schools. | The police are also requiring guardians bring ID when they go to reunion gates at schools. |
| Students that have arrived at school will be with staff until parents or guardians can be contacted. | Students that have arrived at school will be with staff until parents or guardians can be contacted. |
| The Los Angeles Daily News’ Dakoa Smith tweets that parents are arriving en masse at a school near Silver Lake. | The Los Angeles Daily News’ Dakoa Smith tweets that parents are arriving en masse at a school near Silver Lake. |
| Logan Elementary principal Mojgan Moazzez telling parents about closure. Cars have been pulling up all morning. pic.twitter.com/LkaWvDEmt3 | Logan Elementary principal Mojgan Moazzez telling parents about closure. Cars have been pulling up all morning. pic.twitter.com/LkaWvDEmt3 |
| Updated at 4.27pm GMT | Updated at 4.27pm GMT |
| 3.52pm GMT15:52 | 3.52pm GMT15:52 |
| A threat to the students of the Los Angeles Unified School District has convinced officials on Tuesday to close 900 schools until police can search every campus. | A threat to the students of the Los Angeles Unified School District has convinced officials on Tuesday to close 900 schools until police can search every campus. |
| Superintendent Ramon Cortines said the “broad” threat was not made to any one campus but to students and schools generally, and that he ordered the closure out of an “abundance of caution”. | Superintendent Ramon Cortines said the “broad” threat was not made to any one campus but to students and schools generally, and that he ordered the closure out of an “abundance of caution”. |
| LA school police chief Steve Zipperman said the threat was made electronically, and that police and the FBI were still working to determine its credibility. He said police knew of no threat to any other schools other than that made to the LAUSD. | LA school police chief Steve Zipperman said the threat was made electronically, and that police and the FBI were still working to determine its credibility. He said police knew of no threat to any other schools other than that made to the LAUSD. |
| The unprecedented closure affects more than 640,000 students across 900 schools, and Cortines pleaded for patience and flexibility from parents and the employers of parents. He asked for them to keep children away from school, and said that children who had set off for school already could meet with their parents at the reunion gate of every school. | The unprecedented closure affects more than 640,000 students across 900 schools, and Cortines pleaded for patience and flexibility from parents and the employers of parents. He asked for them to keep children away from school, and said that children who had set off for school already could meet with their parents at the reunion gate of every school. |
| “We get threats all the time,” he said, but considered the message a “rare threat” considering the recent terrorist attack in San Bernardino. “I as superintendent am not going to take the chance with the life of a student.” | “We get threats all the time,” he said, but considered the message a “rare threat” considering the recent terrorist attack in San Bernardino. “I as superintendent am not going to take the chance with the life of a student.” |
| “We do evacuate to schools, we do lock down schools, etc,” he added. “So what we are doing today is not different than what we always do except we are doing this in a mass way.” | “We do evacuate to schools, we do lock down schools, etc,” he added. “So what we are doing today is not different than what we always do except we are doing this in a mass way.” |
| Cortines said he would provide an update on the investigation later Tuesday, and expressed hope that schools could reopen Wednesday. | Cortines said he would provide an update on the investigation later Tuesday, and expressed hope that schools could reopen Wednesday. |
| Updated at 3.54pm GMT | Updated at 3.54pm GMT |