The University of New South Wales has just issued a safety alert for students and staff on its campus following what looks to be a copycat threat of gun violence posted to 4chan today.
A post on 4chan discovered today shows that an anonymous user has threatened gun violence against those on the campus.
The poster wrote:
“I finally managed to get a handgun. Australians, if you study at UNSW don’t go in tomorrow.”
The university has alerted the NSW Police Force as well as their anti-terror units, and is issuing an alert to students via Facebook:
General security threat – Kensington campus
UNSW has been made aware of a threat to the safety of staff and students on the Kensington campus. We are treating this incident seriously and have been liaising with the NSW Police through the anti-terrorism and security group and Local Area Command.
Police are advising this is a general, not a specific or direct threat.
We will update you when more information comes to hand.
The post comes after a gunman in the US posted a similar message to 4chan threatening violence against students and staff at the Umpqua Community College. The next day he killed nine people.