threatening text message sent to Black voters following the announced outcome of the presidential election informed them that they have been “selected to pick cotton” and that they would be detained by “slave catchers” who will abduct them shortly to force them into service, CNN reports.
The texts were sent through a third-party service called TextNow, which said it was under a long-term, sustained attack from unknown sources. “The FBI 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,” the Bureau said in a brief announcement. “As always, we encourage members of the public to report threats of physical violence to local law enforcement authorities.”