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Threatening Email Promising 'Bloodbath' Sparks Panic at University of Cartagena
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ด Colombia /Culture & Society

Threatening Email Promising 'Bloodbath' Sparks Panic at University of Cartagena

From El Tiempo · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • The University of Cartagena received a threatening email promising a "bloodbath" and shooting spree on campus, causing panic among students and faculty.
  • Police presence was increased across all university campuses as a precautionary measure following the threat.
  • University officials stated the email did not originate from an official university address, suggesting it was an external act intended to incite fear.

A chilling threat emailed to institutional accounts at the University of Cartagena has sent waves of panic through the student body and faculty. The message, which began circulating among students, ominously declared an intention to "enter the university to carry out a bloodbath."

The email, purportedly from someone identifying as a member of the group "HIO 66," detailed plans to enter the university on Wednesday, August 19, to shoot students and professors. The author cited feelings of exclusion and chronic depression stemming from their time as a student between 2021 and 2023 as motivation for the violent threat. The message chillingly stated, "I have already killed several animals to test the weapon and now you will be the next."

In response to the alarming message, police were deployed to all campuses of the university. While no violence has occurred, the threat prompted university officials to advise students to leave classrooms if they wished and to consult with their instructors about attending afternoon and evening classes until the situation was clarified. Student representatives confirmed that the image of the threat circulated rapidly through student groups.

University authorities have stated that the origin of the email is unknown, but crucially, the sending email address does not correspond to any official University of Cartagena account. This suggests the threat was an external act designed to create panic. The university is cooperating with police investigations to identify the perpetrator and address the security concerns.

Sabemos que la direcciรณn de correo electrรณnico origen no corresponde a ninguna direcciรณn oficial de la Universidad de Cartagena. Entonces, ese correo nunca llegรณ a la universidad, es un tema externo que generรณ pรกnico.

โ€” StudentExplaining that the threatening email did not originate from an official university source.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by El Tiempo in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.