Los Angeles public schools closed due to terrorist threat

Los Angeles skyline.
(Image credit: Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) were closed on Tuesday morning following a "credible" bomb threat made to a board member. Students and staff were asked to stay away from all campuses.

However, a similar threat made to New York City schools early Tuesday morning is being investigated as a hoax, in part because "the language in the email would lead us to believe that this is not a jihadist initiative," according to NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton. The New York threat reportedly did not capitalize the word Allah.

"That would be incredible to think that any jihadist would not spell Allah with a capital 'A,'" Bratton said.

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With approximately 700,000 students, LAUSD is the largest public school system in California and the second largest in the U.S.

This post has been updated throughout.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.