Freshman who allegedly made campus threat no longer allowed at university

[Ave07]

An 18-year-old freshman is no longer a student at Florida Atlantic University after he allegedly made a threat toward the school campus via social media, university officials announced Wednesday.

The student was issued a trespass warning and will be arrested if he returns to any university properties, according to Corey King, FAU's vice president of student affairs.

At a press conference Wednesday, King called the student's posting a "foolish mistake."

The events began about 7 p.m. Tuesday, when the student made a post that said, "My friend just said he shooting up the breezeway and texted me a pic of a gun idk if he jokin," according to an FAU Police incident report. The posting was made via Yik Yak, a social media app.

Police decided not to pursue any charge against the student after searching him and his belongings and concluding the posting wasn't a serious threat. The Sun Sentinel isn't identifying the former student because he wasn't charged in the case.

Police learned of the threat shortly after two students reported seeing several posts on Yik Yak about a shooting that could be carried out Wednesday on a campus breezeway. Due to feedback about the threatening posts, the anonymous user took the postings down.

FAU Police Chief Charles Lowe said the student contacted police and turned himself in. During the interview, the student said he didn't mean to cause any harm and was very remorseful, police said.

The student couldn't be reached for comment Wednesday despite a phone message left at a listed number.

Several students had contacted FAU police, including via Twitter, to ensure they were aware of the threat. Officials on Wednesday thanked students for their assistance.

"The students' immediacy of their report to us and the police allowed our law enforcement to immediately get involved, and within a couple of hours, had this under control," King said.

King said he hopes that this incident is an example to students of how a post on social media can lead to serious repercussions.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/local/pa...909-story.html

So this is what happened at the university I go to and I was wondering what you guys think if my university did the right thing by kicking him out or if they should have done more?

[Wells]

If the police declined to charge him I'm not sure what else they could do, but they were justified.

[Xargoth6634]

Do I believe that someone that fucking stupid should be kicked out of school for their irresponsible actions, in the age we live in where shootings are so common? Yes. Yes I do.

[Independent voter]

I wonder what was going on in head? Did he think it was a joke?

[Feral Camel]

I think they did the right thing to kick him out. It was an incredibly stupid thing to do.

[Revi]

Yeah, public "jokes" about school shootings is along the lines of calling in fake bomb threats. You don't do that.