Northern Illinois University Shuts Down After Police Find Threats

By Margaret Lyons in News on Dec 10, 2007 4:40PM

Northern Illinois University is closed today after police found racist threats written on a wall in a women's bathroom Saturday night. According to the university's website,

Written in black ink on a restroom wall in the Grant Towers D complex were two separate entries claiming that “things will change most hastily” in the final days of the current semester.

“Tell those n---ers to go home,” the first entry reads. “ME / OUT … Die Sem Burr 10th … Hmz Sdn Cr.” Officials believe the text message-style shorthand refers to “December 10” and “Holmes Student Center.” Underlined letters within the first entry spell out the word “WATCH.”

Following the initial entry is a second set of comments [which appears to be in different handwriting] reading “What time? The VA tech shooters messed up w/ having only one shooter …”

Today's final exams have been rescheduled for Friday, though initially school officials didn't want to cancel anything. NIU apparently did solid job of keeping its students informed, though, via email, posts on its site and fliers. [Trib], [Sun-Times]

Picture of the Holmes Student Center by I've Gone Slightly Mad...