Penn State Student Allegedly Told Indian Student: 'Don't Make Me Put A Bullet In Your Chest'
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — A Penn State student was scheduled for a preliminary hearing on charges he intimidated another student because of his ethnicity.
Campus police say 19-year-old Nicholas Tavella, of Greensburg, was drunk when he began following a student of Indian ancestry because he believed the man was either Middle Eastern or Asian.
Tavella allegedly followed the other student, asking whether the other student whether he planned to rape someone. At one point, Tavella allegedly grabbed the other student by the throat and said, "Don't make me put a bullet in your chest."
Tavella's public defender was in court and not immediately able to comment on Wednesday's scheduled hearing.
Police say they charged Tavella with ethnic intimidation, stalking, public drunkenness and other counts after he acknowledged targeting the victim due to his skin color early Saturday.
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