Texas Tech University leaders on Friday condemned racist online comments allegedly posted by several students calling for attacking immigrants and building a border wall.
Officials are investigating comments linked to the site “Frat Chat” and trying to identify the students believed to be involved, according to Chris Cook, a school spokesman.
The postings were no longer there Friday.
Cook confirmed screen shots included comments such as “Don’t bother reporting them just use a firing squad” and “I’m telling you build a wall, and the us govt. can sell permits for legal hunting on the border and we can make a sport of this, can be a new tax revenue stream for the govt.”
Another comment read: “Next brotherhood trip: border shooting range.”
The Texas Tech Interfraternity Council issued a statement saying the group appointed a new president Thursday night following the “reprehensible language” posted hours earlier.
Dean of Students Matthew Gregory and the school’s newly hired vice president of the Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Carol Sumner, held a news conference Friday afternoon to further condemn the comments and emphasize the seriousness of the issue.
“There is a process of educating. There’s also a process of accountability,” said Sumner, who took office a week ago at the school in Lubbock, which has an enrollment of about 37,000.
The investigation will include whether the behavior of any students allegedly involved in the postings rises to the level of school policy violations, according to Gregory. Authorities have no reason to believe that there were any threats directed at a particular individual, Gregory said.
Cook declined to say what possible punishment the students could face.
