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'There is a fear:' Edward Waters students waiting for all clear, police continue bomb threat investigation

A resident assistant say they are hunkering down. They've been told to "shelter in place" until further notice.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Students as Edward Waters University remain in a "shelter in place" order as of 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday. 

The school's Chief of Public Safety, Theodore Reynolds, says the bomb threat came around 3:30 a.m. and they are being thorough.

Jacksonville Sheriff's K9 officers have completed five sweeps of the campus as of noon. The all clear has not been given yet. 

All virtual classes and on campus activities have been cancelled. 

The threat, which came in as a phone call to JSO according to Reynolds, comes after numerous threats to other historically Black colleges and universities nationwide. 

"There is a fear," said student Chandrae Bethea. 

She's a resident assistant as well and says her dorm is hunkering down until they get the green light.

"You can't gauge these situations, previous institutions may have been false, but you always have to treat the problem or the challenge as if it were true,' Bethea said. "As if something could happen and as if students could be potentially harmed."

She hopes her university will come together with other HBCUs to talk about what is happening and discuss the incoming threats. 

Students and staff should check ewc.omnilert.net for the latest campus alerts. 

Also in Jacksonville, the University of North Florida will also have an increased police presence Tuesday, the university said in an alert sent to students and staff, after a threat posted to social media.

 An arrest was made in relation to that threat Tuesday morning, according to an update on UNF's website just before noon, and investigators determined the threat was not related to threats made at other universities. 

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