DENVER — Five Denver metro area community colleges closed or were on lockout Friday due to a potential threat Friday morning that law enforcement later confirmed was a hoax and "a form of doxing."
According to the Colorado Community College System (CCCS), threats were made against:
- Arapahoe Community College
- Community College of Aurora
- Community College of Denver
- Front Range Community College
- Red Rocks Community College
Community College of Aurora was on lockout, while the others closed their campuses for the day.
In addition, Auraria Campus – where Community College of Denver, Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver are located – was closed. The campus will reopen Saturday.
Arapahoe Community College Police Sgt. K.W. Moreland said that several individuals at different colleges received a threatening email shortly after midnight Friday.
The Westminster Police Department (WPD) said its officers contacted a person of interest in threats against Front Range Community College (FRCC) and that it appeared that the threats were a form of doxing against that individual.
“There was information contained in the threat about a specific person saying, ‘I’m this person. I’m making the threat. Here’s what I’m going to do,'" said Cheri Spottke, WPD investigator. "We quickly were able to contact that person in-person and determined that the person had not sent the threats."
At the time of this writing, WPD said it couldn't validate any threats against FRCC.
“We don’t know the motive behind why they choose this person but it doesn’t appear that it has anything to do with the person being a student, or teacher, or any type of faculty at any of the schools," said Spottke.
On Friday afternoon, CU Boulder Police said law enforcement had determined that the threats were a hoax.
The University of Colorado Boulder said that while no threat was made to its campus, it canceled all classes and activities for Friday as a precaution. CU Colorado Springs also closed for the day.
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