Anonymous Death Threats Against TPUSA Leaders at Olivet Nazarene University Prompt Urgent Investigation

Olivet Nazarene University officials are investigating anonymous social-media death threats that targeted leaders of a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) campus group, prompting at least two student officers to leave campus for their safety.

Threats, Response and Investigation

Chapter president Jacob York said the first threat arrived anonymously via Instagram and included a message stating someone would "come in the middle of the night and slit my throat." York has been granted academic accommodations to finish the semester online to remain off campus. Vice president Mara Hudson, who manages the chapter's Instagram account, was also removed from campus over safety concerns after the account she runs received a threatening message. York said the messages were first received last Thursday.

In an email obtained by Fox News Digital, Olivet Nazarene President Gregg Chenoweth described the messages as "an anonymous threat of physical harm via social media, to a specific person, not a group or to all students," and said he was personally attending to the matter.

"I’m a parent, not just a president, so I’m sincerely invested on the seriousness of this, and understand the fear it can create. I hope this quick note is sufficient, as we are getting lots of requests for information. I’ve been working on this myself for 7 hours so far today," Chenoweth wrote.

University officials said the Department of Public Safety is working with the Bourbonnais Police Department on the inquiry. Investigators have classified the case as "urgent" and are seeking access to records that may help identify the anonymous sender. The university emphasized that the threats were directed at specific students who reported them and that there was no identified threat to the broader campus community at any point.

Status Of The Campus Group

The Turning Point USA chapter at Olivet Nazarene is active and has officers but is not officially recognized by the university; it currently organizes events off campus. University representatives said attempts to register the chapter with administrators fell through after discussions. A university spokesperson told Fox News Digital the group is "organized but not recognized."

University officials did not immediately respond to further requests for comment. Fox News Digital also reached out to the Bourbonnais Police Department for comment on the investigation.