KTCU FM 88.7 “The Choice” was shut down Tuesday at about 8:45 p.m. after a threat was phoned into the station, according to police.TCU Police Sgt. Alvin Allcon said the threat against the station, located on the first floor of Moudy Building South, came from a person who had called a number of times over the past couple of weeks to complain about the format of the station.

Reportedly, there were three disc jockeys in the station at the time of the call.

A DJ at the station said the caller, who identified himself as a former student and DJ, told another DJ he was going to come to the station, complained about the music played and made racial slurs about another DJ.

The DJ said the caller told a DJ he had come to the station earlier to complain about the format to Russell Scott, the station manager.

Another DJ said the caller’s complaints have been specifically aimed at the addition of country music to the playlist.

Scott said when he first heard about the call, he told the students to immediately notify TCU Police.

“The student thought enough of (the threat) to call me and say, ‘This is making me uncomfortable and I’m not sure what to do,'” Scott said.

He said he then decided to have the students close the station.

Richard Allen, chair of the radio-TV-film department, said the closing of the station was warranted.

“If there is any sense of danger we remember it is only a college station,” Allen said. “It’s like a classroom and if there was a threat to a classroom it would be evacuated, just like we escorted the DJ’s out… We have an obligation as a school unto our students.”

KTCU usually stays live until 1 a.m., but one DJ said the station had dead air after the DJs left early. She said police drove them home because they had all walked to the station.

Allcon said he is still following up on the incident, and two security guards would stick around, just in case the caller were to come to the station.

As of Tuesday night, Allcon said it is too soon to determine what charges, if any, would be filed related to the incident, but he said Tuesday night, “it’s basically harassment.”

Allcon said he has a first name, age and physical description of the caller but could not disclose them. He said he has no indication the caller is a student.

Scott said the station would resume normal operation today.

Allen said he would discuss the incident with other KTCU staff members today.

“We’ll have all the DJs (Wednesday) in class check-in and we’ll address safety concerns,” Allen said.

Editor’s Note: The KTCU employees interviewed for this story did so on the condition their names be kept confidential for safety reasons.

Associate editor Marcus Murphree contributed to this report.