Campus Alert Archive
Spelman

No Direct Threat, Maximum Caution: Spelman Shelters in Place as Neighboring HBCUs Lock Down on 9/11

GAbomb threatemergency notificationhigh confidence
Confirmed HoaxDetermined to be a hoax. The institutional response is documented because it reveals how the alert system performed under a perceived real threat.

On September 11, 2025, Spelman College issued a shelter-in-place order as a precaution after nearby Clark Atlanta University and other HBCUs across the country received terroristic threats. Although no threats were made directly to Spelman, the college heightened security and told its community to shelter in place due to its proximity to Clark Atlanta University.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Spelman College
Hbcu · GA
~2,300 studentsSpelman ALERT
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTPush
Verified verbatimSpelman College official alerts page403 chars
We are aware of threats received today by several HBCU's, including Clark Atlanta University here in the AUC. Clark CAU is currently under a shelter a place advisory. Out of precaution, and our close proximity to CAU, we are asking Spelman faculty, staff and students to shelter in place and stay clear of CAU campus until further notice. At this time, no threats have been received on Spelman's campus.
Posted to Spelman College's official alerts archive at 12:15 PM EDT on September 11, 2025
Notable for the typo 'shelter a place' instead of 'shelter in place' — preserved verbatim, indicating an alert composed quickly under pressure
Spelman itself received no direct threat but sheltered due to proximity to Clark Atlanta University in the Atlanta University Center
ALL CLEARPush+1h 40m
Verified verbatimSpelman College official alerts page56 chars
The shelter in place at Spelman College has been lifted.
Posted to Spelman's alerts archive at 1:55 PM EDT — about 1 hour 40 minutes after the shelter-in-place began
Notably terse compared to the initial alert; the brevity matches Spelman's pattern of separating action-needed alerts from explanatory communications
The all-clear came after FBI assessment that the HBCU threats were hoax calls with no credible danger
Context

Background

On September 11, 2025, multiple historically Black colleges and universities across the country were placed on lockdown after receiving terroristic threats. In the Atlanta University Center, Clark Atlanta University received a direct threat and issued a shelter-in-place order. Spelman College and Morehouse College, which share the AUC campus, issued their own shelter-in-place orders out of precaution due to their close proximity to Clark Atlanta. Spelman confirmed it had not received any direct threats but heightened security at its main entrances. The FBI later deemed the threats a hoax, stating there was no credible threat to any campus. At least seven HBCUs in five states were affected that day, including Alabama State University, Hampton University, Virginia State University, Southern University, and Bethune-Cookman University.
Analysis

Key Findings

Spelman sheltered in place despite receiving no direct threat, demonstrating how proximity to a targeted institution triggers precautionary lockdowns
The September 11 HBCU threats were part of a recurring pattern dating back to January 2022 bomb threat waves targeting historically Black institutions
The shelter-in-place lasted approximately two hours before the FBI determined the threats were hoax calls
Outcome
The shelter-in-place was lifted around 2:00 PM EDT. The FBI determined the threats to be hoax calls with no credible danger. Normal campus operations resumed later that day.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Spelman ALERT: Shelter in Place (Spelman College)
    spelman.edu
  2. Official
    Spelman ALERT: All Clear (Spelman College)
    spelman.edu
  3. News
    Clark Atlanta, Spelman College lift shelter-in-place order among HBCUs investigating threats (11Alive)
    11alive.com
  4. News
    Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University under shelter-in-place orders (WSB-TV)
    wsbtv.com
Tags
hbcubomb-threatshelter-in-placehoaxgeorgiacoordinated-threatseptember-11atlanta-university-centerHoax
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion