Kassie Parisi
Managing Editor
production.asp@gmail.com
A University at Albany student was suspended after making a threat to blow up the school on a popular social media application called Yik Yak. The post, which was made by UAlbany student Jordan Crockett, threatened to “blow up the school.” Crockett was arrested under felony charges and was suspended by the university. He is currently awaiting a court appearance.
According to Public Information Officer for University Police Aran Mull, UPD received notification of the threat on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Mull said the threat was signed with a false Arabic name. Immediately after receiving the threat, UPD contacted Yik Yak for help in apprehending the person who made the post. Mull said that with the help of Yik Yak and IT workers at UAlbany, they were able to track Crockett using the GPS coordinating methods and IP address information that Yik Yak has access to.
UPD also had to evaluate the seriousness and credibility of the threat before deciding what action to take. UPD, using FBI guidelines, determined that the threat did not have a high credibility and got in contact with Crockett and found out where his dorm was.
After searching Crockett’s room and finding no bomb-making equipment, UPD interviewed Crockett and he admitted that he had posted the threat. Crockett was then arrested and charged.
Crockett’s threat comes after other threats made over Yik Yak by anonymous posters. University of Nebraska received a bomb threat over Yik Yak and a Long Island high school recently received a school shooting threat over the application. Even though UPD was able to determine that the threat made by Crockett was not actually dangerous, Mull stressed that does not eliminate the seriousness of the situation.
“It isn’t funny or appropriate to make these threats at all,” he said in a phone interview. He also recommended that students utilize the “If you see something, say something” method, which basically urges students and other UAlbany community members to report anything threatening posts they see on any social networking sites.
Phtot from socialtimes.com
The Yik Yak homepage.
