Two Students Charged with Making Terrorist Threats on Campus

[UPDATE Sept. 13, 2019]

Since the first publication last night, new details are emerging about one of the alleged threats on campus. Students are coming forward with information about Jaleel Hughes’ arrest, claiming that it was misconstrued and was not found to be threatening by his peers. According to many students close to Hughes, the snapchat was supposedly a reference to a popular anime “Death Note.” 

“From what I know the person who reported it had Jeleel’s well being in mind. Jaleel posted this with all intent as a joke to his friends with no malicious intent,” said Brandon Adcox, friend to Hughes.  

Mike Mitchell, the Vice President of Student Affairs sent out an email this morning saying, “The charge of making a terroristic threat is brought when police have reason to believe that a person has made a credible threat to commit a crime of violence against a person or property. Our community is not immune to such threats, and we are not unique in how we respond. No matter the circumstances, our police must treat any possible threat with the utmost seriousness and act immediately to ensure the safety of our campus community.”

As of now, the investigation is still ongoing. Both students have been released on bail and are barred from university property pending the outcome of the investigation.

“I really can not imagine what he’s going through right now,” said Grace Orosco, a member of USA’s Marching Band and friend of Hughes, “this situation is going to be detrimental to his entire education, reputation and possibly even his future career.”  

The Vanguard is following the story of both arrests as information is being released. 

[Previously Published on Sept. 12, 2019]

Two South students have been arrested this week and charged with making a terrorist threat.  Though the incidents are not related to each other, the close proximity is causing confusion on campus.

Jaleel Hughes was arrested on Tuesday, Sept. 10 by USA’s Campus Police Department. Though an official police report has not been released some students have come forward with information on the arrest, saying it was related to an alleged Snapchat reading “Don’t come to school tomorrow” that was posted on Hughes’ social media.

Jack Christensen was arrested one day after on Wednesday, Sept. 11 by campus police. A source close to Christensen, who has chosen to remain anonymous, shared that his arrest was allegedly related to the song lyric by the artist Tyler The Creator, “Kill people, burn s**t, f**k school” that Christensen wrote on a poster hung in Marx Library, where students were encouraged to “write what you’re feeling.”

“I believe the situation was blown out of proportion. I saw what he [Christensen] wrote, and for the most part, students wrote whatever they wanted on that poster, but this was deemed ‘too far’ I guess,” the source said. 

With tensions high looming over recent national events involving gun safety, campus security is on high alert for possible threats.

“People are up in arms right now, even over minuscule things,” the source continued, “I wish he [Christensen] wouldn’t have done it, but I can’t believe it’s gone this far.” 

USA Police say the investigation is still ongoing at the time of publication, so no official reports have been released to the public. All information has been sourced from students close to the subjects. 

Link to original story: https://jagmedia.org/two-students-charged-with-making-terrorist-threats-on-campus/