University Of Chicago Cancels Classes Over Shooting Threat

The University of Chicago canceled classes on Monday after receiving information about a gun violence threat. The school asked students and faculty to avoid campus through Monday night. On Monday, a student at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) was arrested in connection with the "threat of violence" at the University of Chicago. The UIC student apparently lives off-campus, but officials haven't released the student's name. "The University was informed by FBI counterterrorism officials today (Sunday) that an unknown individual posted an online threat of gun violence against the University of Chicago, specifically mentioning 'the campus quad' on Monday morning at 10 a.m.," school president Robert Zimmer wrote on Sunday, according to USA Today. "Based on the FBI's assessment of this threat and recent tragic events at other campuses across the country, we have decided in consultation with federal and local law enforcement officials to exercise caution by canceling all classes and activities on the Hyde Park campus through midnight on Monday," the email said. Zimmer's memo also told students that there will be increased security on campus in the coming days. Classes are expected to happen as usual on Tuesday. This has been a deadly year for gun violence. A gunman shot and killed nine people and himself at an Oregon community college in October. According to the Washington Post, there have been 351 mass shootings in the 334 days of 2015 so far. More than 50 of those incidents were school shootings.