Welcome to these United States of America, circa 2018.
After struggling with what was described as a “very tough, emotional decision,” Jeff Brohm, a Louisville native and former Cardinals football player, announced Wednesday evening that he was rebuffing his alma mater’s offer and would remain on as the head coach at Purdue. In a statement, U of L athletic director Vince Tyra said that “it was clear [Brohm’s] heart and mind were still with fulfilling his commitment to Purdue” and that “we wish him the best going forward.”
Wednesday night, however, Brohm’s former high school, Trinity High School in Louisville, announced that it was canceling classes Thursday because of a threat it received in the wake of the coach’s decision.Trinity officials were notified by police of a threat against the school due to Jeff Brohm deciding to remain at Purdue.
While police investigate the threat classes are canceled and offices are closed on Thursday, Nov. 29.
“We take these threats seriously, especially towards a school,” St. Matthews Police Chief Barry Wilkerson told ESPN.com. “We’re going to investigate as much as we can at this point. It’s difficult when you have Twitter accounts to trace back, so it’s a little more complex than pushing a button and figuring out who it is. We’ll investigate it fully and bring charges, if necessary.”
The chief added that, even if it’s a hoax or sarcasm as some in the Louisville media are claiming, “there are still [legal] ramifications.” The St. Matthews Police Department, along with the FBI, are investigating the incident.
Brohm’s father, Oscar Brohm, a former Louisville quarterback himself, is an assistant football coach at Trinity High School, an all-boys Catholic school.