A 19-year-old Norwich student was arrested after reports that he threatened to “shoot up the school.”
Northfield Police were dispatched to campus Jan. 15 and arrested the student, whose name was not released by police. The student has been charged with criminal threatening and aggravated disorderly conduct.
When police arrived to campus, they spoke with students who told them that the offender had threatened to sexually assault multiple female students and had advised he would “make this place look like Columbine,” according to a Northfield Police press release.
Students, who told officials they felt unsafe, reported that the Columbine threats had been made in the fall but not reported to police until now. There were also threats of slitting students throats with knives, officials said.
Police say several students wrote sworn statements reporting similar information. The offender told police that the alleged threats were only jokes and that there was no actual intent.
Other students, however, told police the student offender had visited online gun-building apps and had asked about different calibers and their effects, mentioning that the student talked about buying a gun soon.
The student, who is no longer on campus, will appear in Washington County Superior Court March 2.