Quick Summary
- Dallas Baptist University evacuated amid unspecified threats ahead of a speech by Scott Turner.
- Classes were canceled Thursday morning as a precautionary measure.
- University officials are monitoring the situation and working with law enforcement.
Updated at 3:20 p.m. ET, Jan. 22, 2026: Dallas Baptist University posted an update explaining that “the Dallas Police Department and the FBI worked alongside our DBU Police Department to investigate the matter, and we can now issue an all-clear.” According to university authorities, classes will resume as normal on Friday, Jan. 23.
Original report:
Dallas Baptist University canceled classes Thursday amid concerns about an unspecified threat to campus ahead of a planned speech by President Donald Trump’s Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner.
The Texas-based Southern Baptist Convention-affiliated university announced Thursday morning that it was canceling classes due to “an abundance of caution.”
“The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff remain our highest priority,” stated DBU. “Additional updates will be shared as appropriate as the situation continues to be monitored.”
The university’s statement shared on DBU’s social media accounts at 10:18 a.m. Central time noted that university officials were “made aware of several unverified threats involving the campus.”
— Dallas Baptist University (@DBUPatriots) January 22, 2026
“While there is no confirmed indication of immediate danger, University leadership is proactively assessing the situation and working closely with law enforcement officials to ensure the safety of our community,” stated university officials.
The cancellation of classes came in advance of a scheduled speech by HUD Secretary Turner. It is unclear if the threats are related to his visit.
Turner, an associate pastor at the multi-campus Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, was scheduled to speak alongside Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson that morning.
The Trump official was going to focus on how faith-based groups can help “vulnerable Americans achieve economic prosperity” by supporting “Opportunity Zones,” according to The Dallas Morning News.
According to HUD’s website, an opportunity zone is an “economically distressed” community that qualifies for “new investments” that “may be eligible for preferential tax treatment.”
“There are 8,764 Opportunity Zones in the United States, many of which have experienced a lack of investment for decades,” explained HUD. “The Opportunity Zones initiative is not a top-down government program from Washington but an incentive to spur private and public investment in America’s underserved communities.”
DBU, which has approximately 4,100 students enrolled, traces its origins to Decatur Baptist College, founded in 1898 as the state’s first junior college.
In 1965, the academic institution relocated to southwest Dallas, and DBU celebrated the 60th anniversary of that move in a series of events last November.
This is a developing story.
