UMD Student Arrested For "Shooting Rampage" Threat | News

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (WUSA) --  University of Maryland police say three separate internet users called during an 8 hour period beginning late Saturday night to report a student making disturbing threats of a shooting rampage on social media sites.

"The threats were real," said David Mitchell of the University of Maryland police.

The student was identified as 19-year-old Alexander Song of Fulton Md., who was arrested at 10 a.m. Sunday as he drove onto the campus in his car.

Song had been active overnight on Reddit, a news sharing website, and Omengle, an online community where strangers are linked to each other anonymously spontaneous conversation.

One anonymous user who called University of Maryland police early Sunday was in Montana.  None of the people who contacted police knew Song, or each other.

According to university police, he had an internet posting stating: "I will be on a shooting rampage tomorrow on campus", "hopefully I kill enough people to make it to national news", and "stay away from the Mall tomorrow at 1:30."

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Detectives arrested Song and determined that an emergency psychiatric evaluation was necessary, officials said.

Song was taken to an area hospital for evaluation, they said. 

A week before the arrest, police had been called to Song's dorm room at Oakland Hall a week before to respond to complaints about a student screaming.  Song was not charged after the incident, but told police he was "stressed out", Mitchell said.

Song was "clearly emotionally distraught to the point of shaking and crying" when he was arrested Sunday morning Mitchell said.  "He was clearly in need of psychiatric assistance," according to Mitchell.

Song's family home in Howard County was searched by police Sunday.  A computer was seized.  No weapons were recovered at the home or at the University.  "He was unarmed," Mitchell said.

The University administration moved to immediately suspend Song's student status at UMCP. He is no longer permitted on campus pending a review.

Song was charged with disturbing the orderly conduct of the activities, administration or classes of UMCP.  The charge is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine not to exceed $2500.00 and/or imprisonment not to exceed six months in jail.

University Police detectives and patrol officers worked through the night to identify and catch Song, they said in a news alert to students.

"This incident was taken extremely seriously by this agency and all efforts were put forth to bring it to a speedy and safe resolution. I thank our troops for preventing these threats from being carried out" University Police Chief David B. Mitchell said in a news release.

The University administration moved to immediately suspend Song's student status at UMCP. He is no longer permitted on campus pending a review.