Traffic was light on the University of Missouri campus Wednesday morning as campus police tried to restore calm after a night of online threats and hoaxes terrified students.
A 19 year old from Lake St. Louis is in custody after he allegedly posted threats to shoot black students and faculty on Yik Yak and other social media.
Hunter Park’s mugshot, released by the Boone County Jail, where he’s being held on $4,500. pic.twitter.com/XL02UdudBn
— Matt Pearce (@mattdpearce) November 11, 2015
Student body president Payton Head Tuesday night posted that the KKK was on campus, but later admitted it was a lie.
Head posted on Facebook earlier in the night that the KKK was confirmed on campus and that he was working with “the MUPD, the state trooper and the National Guard.” Here’s a screenshot:
Facebook from Payton Head (@MSAPresident): pic.twitter.com/GcYsd3Klb6
— Alec Lewis (@alec_lewis) November 11, 2015
He deleted his Facebook post about the KKK being confirmed on campus and apologized for spreading the “KKK at Mizzou” rumor.
Student body president apologizes for spreading the ‘KKK at Mizzou’ rumor pic.twitter.com/A55Ap713o6
— Brandon Wall (@Walldo) November 11, 2015
Head started this bout of racial hysteria at Mizzou back in September with a Facebook post about his alleged experience with racism. He claimed in October that the passenger of a pickup repeatedly shouted the “N-word” at him.
In October, a “poop swastika” was reportedly seen on the wall of a dormitory restroom, but no evidence of it has ever been made publicly available.
The Federalist’s Sean Davis investigated the incident and strongly suspects a hoax.
Ferguson and Occupy activists have been in Columbia all week, giving student activists counsel. They were in fact on the ground during the protest Monday when students and faculty prevented journalists from breaching their “safe space.”
The Black Lives Matter crowd have been doing their best to stir up trouble, repeating dubious, racially tinged rumors.
RIGHT NOW @Mizzou pic.twitter.com/lLs07zMcA9
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) November 11, 2015
The school’s online emergency information center tweeted that “there is no immediate threat to campus” and asked students not to spread rumors Tuesday night, but many alarmed students chose to go home to their parents anyway.
A large number of students drove home, or had family members pick them up amid the confusion and chaos, a Mizzou student confirmed to PJ Media.
“It was dead silent last night, no one was out,” said Molly, a freshman. “I left at about 11pm and people were leaving with luggage and bags, lots of them. I don’t know how many people left, but a lot of people did [want] to get away from the threats.”
Many black students reportedly did not attend class today because “they are terrified of a racist backlash.”
Phil, a Mizzou senior, told PJ Media that the school announced that there would be no testing on campus Wednesday because of the light attendance.
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