Schools in Los Angeles are all closed today due to a 'credible terror threat'
"The school district received a safety threat that we're in the process of evaluating and vetting … As you can imagine, we take all threats seriously," Jorge Villegas, the assistant chief of the LAPD, said at a press conference Tuesday morning.
Schools will all be searched, and the FBI has been notifed of the unspecified threat, CNBC reported. Students were all sent home on Tuesday morning, according to NBC Los Angeles, which noted that LAUSD is the second-largest school district in the US.
"The actions that we are taking today are swift and they are appropriate … The education of our kids is incredibly important. The only thing that's more important is their safety," Steve Zimmer, the president of the LAUSD school board, said at the press conference on Tuesday.
When asked why LAUSD took the step of closing all schools, LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines mentioned the terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California less than two weeks ago, which killed 14 people.
"I, as superintendent, am not going to take chances with the life of the student," Cortines said Tuesday.
Several school bus drivers told ABC 7 that dispatchers had called them back to their respective depots in the morning, but school officials said no buses were threatened.
The Los Angeles Times reports the threat was a bomb threat called into a school board member, though it's not clear which board member was threatened.
This story is developing. Check back for more information.