“We take this type of targeting very seriously.”The FBI said it “is aware of the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country and is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities on the matter,” according to a statement Thursday.
At least some appear to have been sent through TextNow in what the company believes “is a widespread, coordinated attack,” it told CNN on Friday.
Texts addressed recipients by nameScreenshots of the texts shared with CNN and appearing on social media show the racist messages addressed the recipients by name.
Montgomery County Public Schools in Maryland said in a statement Thursday that some of its students received the racist texts.
CNN affiliates have also reported instances of students receiving the racist texts in South Carolina, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Pennsylvania, among other states.
Persons:
Derrick Johnson, ” Donald Trump’s, Karoline Leavitt, Orangeburg , South Carolina –, Jessica Rosenworcel, ”, “, Liz Murrill, ” Murrill, Murrill, Cori Faklaris, ” Faklaris, Letitia James, ” Kenneth Gray, Alysa, Arleta McCall, ” McCall, Nimrod, ” Megan Shafer, ‘, ’, Jackie Bradley, WISN, ” Bradley, Bradley, you’re, ” Talaya Jones, Talaya Jones, ” Jones, —, Jim Crow, Johnson, Jones, Tasha Dunham, WCVB, wasn’t, ” Dunham
Organizations:
CNN, Federal, District of Columbia, NAACP, stoke, Black Colleges, Universities, Hampton University, Fisk University, Claflin University, Federal Communications Commission’s, FBI, Justice Department, & Safety, General’s, Louisiana Bureau, Investigation, University of North, Associated Press, New York, University of New, Montgomery County Public Schools, ”, University of Alabama, Missouri State University, Missouri NAACP, Lower, Lower Merion School District, Milwaukee, WISN
Locations:
New York, California, Hampton , Virginia, Nashville , Tennessee, Orangeburg , South Carolina, TextNow, Louisiana, Poland, Napoleonville , Louisiana, Washington , DC, Virginia , New Jersey , Illinois, Maryland, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, University of New Haven, Montgomery County, Missouri, South Carolina , Massachusetts , Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Lower Merion, Montgomery County , Pennsylvania, Piscataway , New Jersey, United States, Lodi , California, North Carolina