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White House responds to threat that shutdown more than 900 Los Angeles schools (Video)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The latest on the closure of Los Angeles Unified School District schools due to a threat:

10:45 a.m.

The White House says the different reactions taken by the nation’s two largest public school systems after receiving threats show that local first-responders are responsible for protecting their communities.

Spokesman Josh Earnest says he won’t “second-guess” the decisions by Los Angeles officials to close their schools and New York City officials to keep their students in class.

Earnest says local authorities make decisions based on information they receive and what they believe is in the best interests of their communities.

He says that the FBI has been in touch with California law enforcement authorities.

New York City officials say they received the same threat as Los Angeles but quickly concluded it was a hoax. New York Police Commissioner William Bratton said he thought Los Angeles overreacted.


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10:35 a.m.

Los Angeles law enforcement and city leaders are defending the decision to shut down the city’s school system due to an emailed threat.

Police Chief Charlie Beck and Mayor Eric Garcetti told reporters Tuesday that they stand behind the superintendent’s order to close the Los Angeles Unified School District’s more than 900 schools and 187 public charter schools as a precaution.

New York City officials say they and many cities nationwide received the same threat and quickly determined it was a hoax.

Beck says it’s easy to criticize a decision when someone has no responsibility for its outcome. He says district police contacted his department late Monday about a threat sent to school board members.

Officials say it was a tough decision but the safety of students and employees was their main concern.

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9:40 a.m.

New York City officials say they and many cities across the country received the same threat that closed the Los Angeles school system.

Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters Tuesday that the threat came in the form of a “generic” email and that New York officials quickly concluded that it wasn’t credible.

Los Angeles Unified School District officials say they closed all of the system’s more than 900 schools and 187 public charter schools as a precaution.

A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation said the threat involved bombs in students’ backpacks. The official wasn’t authorized to speak about an ongoing investigation and insisted on anonymity.

District spokeswoman Shannon Haber says the threat was emailed to a school board member late Monday.

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