Police, FBI Investigate Possible Threat At Penn State Beaver
MONACA (KDKA) -- All classes and activities on the campus of Penn State Beaver were canceled today as authorities continue to investigate a possible threat that referenced the Virginia Tech shootings.
Campus spokesperson Amy Krebs said the school received the possible threat on Twitter Thursday night. She says it came from a former student, who has been identified as Michael Mollett.
Krebs says local authorities and officials with the FBI looked into it and determined it to be credible. She added that it came with no date reference.
All was quiet on campus this afternoon as students living on campus were told to stay in their dorms and commuter students were advised to stay off the campus.
"After examining the social media post, police determined the threat was credible and local law enforcement and the FBI along with state police have been brought into the investigation," said Chancellor Gary Keefer.
Authorities spent the morning searching and securing the campus.
It was students who alerted campus police to the threat. Only a few students showed up on campus today, after school officials sent out an advisory warning of the remarks and that classes were canceled.
"As we continue to seek this individual and gather more information, we decided to take the precautionary step of closing the campus for classes and activities today," Chancellor Keefer said.
A classmate confirmed to KDKA's Heather Abraham that Mollett was in class earlier this year and was previously on the basketball team as well. However, Chancellor Keefer referred to Mollett as a former student.
"It's our sincere hope that he's identified, found and arrested today," Chancellor Keefer said.
According to Penn State Beaver's campus newspaper The Roar, campus police charged Mollett with indecent assault and defiant trespass in connection with the alleged assault of a female student in Harmony Hall last month.
The newspaper reports that Mollett was a sophomore at the time.
The incident also prompted a lockdown at all school buildings at the nearby Central Valley School District on Friday. The superintendent at Central Valley also says that afternoon kindergarten was canceled as well.
Despite the lockdown, KDKA's Harold Hayes reports that the district had a regular dismissal this afternoon.
Meanwhile, back over on the campus of Penn State Beaver, officials are encouraging students to go home for the weekend. They also canceled Saturday activities on campus.
RELATED LINKS:
Penn State Beaver
Penn State Beaver's The Roar (Oct. 2011 Edition)
More News from Beaver County
