Washington, Dec 15 (EFE).- More than 900 schools were closed Tuesday in the city of Los Angeles due to a bomb threat, local police said.
"The threat is still being analyzed. We have chosen to close our schools today until we can be sure our campuses are safe," Los Angeles School Police Chief Steve Zipperman told a press conference.
On its official Twitter account, Los Angeles police said the educational centers were closed due to a "credible threat."
The schools are governed by the Los Angeles Unified School District, or LAUSD, the largest public school system in California and the second largest in the United States with more than 650,000 registered students.
"I think it's important to take this precaution based on what has happened recently and what has happened in the past," said LAUSD Superintendent Ramon Cortines, adding that he will not take the chance of allowing children into any part of a building until he knows it is safe.
Authorities said the threat came by e-mail and involves backpacks and packages left at a number of schools, which were not specified.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, or FBI, is helping investigate the bomb scare, the Los Angeles police said.
The decision to close the schools came in the light of the attack last Dec. 2 in the nearby city of San Bernardino by two suspected supporters of the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group that left 14 dead and more than 20 wounded.
