The University of Chicago says a threatening Facebook post targeting students, originally believed to have been part of a hack, was not what it appeared to be.
Officials Tuesday said the Facebook user initially believed to have been targeted in the “hack” claimed responsibility for the post.
“That conclusion does not erase the seriousness of this episode, the harm it has caused to individuals and our broader community, or the consequences for those responsible. Whatever its purpose, the language used in this incident does not constitute discourse and will not be tolerated. Its use underlines questions about campus climate already raised in other contexts. These emerging facts do not in any way diminish the University’s commitment to a diverse campus, free from harassment and discrimination, as articulated by the president and provost in their message,” an announcement from the school read.
School officials said “there are still many facts to be learned” and noted that an investigation into the matter continues.
“Once University officials knew that the nature of the incident was different than it first appeared, the University could not allow the inaccurate story to stand. That would not have served our community,” the school said.
Last week, school officials said in a campus email that a student’s Facebook page was hacked and someone posted a racially-charged threat with “hateful and abhorrent” attacks on other students. The email said federal law enforcement agencies and third-party website providers were investigating the attack.
