A College of Utah pupil was arrested Wednesday after allegedly making terroristic threats by posting on social media, the identical day as a Utes’ soccer recreation, she was going to detonate the nuclear reactor on campus if the workforce didn’t win, officers stated.
The 21-year-old pupil posted the risk on the social media software Yik Yak, in line with a college assertion.
The coed was recognized as Meredith Miller in a highly-redacted report from college police.
“On Saturday, Sept. 17, the College of Utah Police Division was notified somebody had posted a message on YikYak: “If we don’t win at the moment, I’m detonating the nuclear reactor on campus,” the assertion stated.
College police decided a pupil did submit the message and she or he was interviewed on Wednesday, officers stated.
“She acknowledged posting the assertion and was arrested and brought to the Salt Lake County Jail and booked for making terroristic threats,” officers stated.
Miller was not instantly reached for remark Thursday. It was unclear if she had secured an lawyer.
The coed claimed her assertion was meant as a joke, the college stated, nevertheless, “We now have a zero-tolerance coverage for these type of threats,” Police Chief Jason Hinojosa stated within the assertion.
The College of Utah’s nuclear reactor, Hinojosa stated, is secured and alarmed and police have distinctive protocols for managing any breach of the ability.
A college spokesperson informed NBC Information on Thursday, the college has a nuclear engineering program which is why there’s a reactor on campus. In response to the U.S. Division of Vitality, the College of Utah is one about 25 universities with a nuclear reactor.
Throughout a Thursday afternoon press convention, Hinojosa stated police had no selection however to arrest the scholar, even when she was joking.
“Below state regulation, it would not matter. Even when they’re fully incapable of finishing up the risk, or, the risk is made however an try is just not, it is nonetheless the identical cost.”
He added {that a} college worker reported the risk, which was posted anonymously on the social media platform. Subpoenas and warrants have been served, Hinojosa stated, to acquire the IP tackle from which the risk was made, which led police to the scholar.
It is as much as the district lawyer’s workplace to find out whether or not to pursue the case in opposition to the scholar. Nobody with the prosecutor’s workplace was instantly reached Thursday.
A consultant of the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Workplace stated the scholar was now not within the jail after posting bail. The consultant was uncertain how a lot the scholar’s bail was.
The coed’s alleged risk follows an August case of one other pupil on the college who referred to as in a bomb risk for the David Eccles College of Enterprise through the first week of courses, officers stated.
NBC affiliate KSL of Salt Lake Metropolis reported the 19-year-old pupil was arrested after he additionally allegedly used the Yik Yak software to make the bomb risk.
The Utes defeated San Diego State 35-7 on Saturday. The workforce’s file now sits at 2-1.
