LOS ANGELES (KNX) — The return to in-person classes at UCLA was canceled Tuesday morning after threats were made against campus.
UCLA police were working with the FBI and other law enforcement agencies to investigate.
According to a junior at the school who spoke with NBC Los Angeles Monday night, a former UCLA researcher and guest lecturer sent students and staff an email containing a link to a video referencing a mass shooting.
The researcher in question was alleged to be Matthew Harris, formerly affiliated with the school’s philosophy department.
“He emailed her old class with this weird threat, including a link to a video about a mass shooting with himself in it,” he said. “Basically threatening to come shoot up the school.”
According to The Los Angeles Times, the emails included an 800-page manifesto containing violent threats targeting specific individuals at the school as well as racist language.
Harris was placed on leave last year while school officials investigated reports he sent a video with pornographic content to a student, according to The Daily Bruin. The Times reported students complained of a history of “disturbing and erratic behavior” by the lecturer.
In a statement distributed Monday night, UCLA officials said they were aware of “a concerning email and posting sent to some members of the UCLA community today and [was] actively engaged with out-of-state law enforcement and federal agencies.”
Sherrilyn Roush, UCLA’s philosophy department chair, told faculty the school would not hold in-person classes “until Harris’ location is determined,” the Bruin reported.
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