Spring Break
Threats target noisy students
Brady Holt
Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: News
University Police are investigating comments posted last week on The Diamondback's website that threatened the lives of eight students featured in a recent article.
A suspect affiliated with the university has been identified and University Police Spokesman Paul Dillon said charges may be filed. He declined to release the suspect's name or connection to the university until the case is reviewed by the state attorney's office.
The four comments, posted last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday under the name John A. Zelansky, targeted students profiled in the article "Noise Complaint," which described student residents at odds with their quiet-seeking neighbors. The commenter claimed to live near the students and said he'd shoot them if they continued making noise.
The students said the comments concerned them at first, but this weekend they still enjoyed their favorite weekend pasttime of playing Whiffle ball outside, even though it has resulted in multiple complaints.
"I mean it definitely scared us a little bit but for the most part we did what we normally do," said one of the housemates, Clif Frailey.
Frailey hypothesized the threats were "just some kid trying to be funny," but Dillon did not say whether the suspect was a student, professor or staff member.
The Diamondback removed the comments from its website because they violated its policy against posting hateful or threatening material. Diamondback editors have cooperated with police and supplied detectives with the IP and e-mail addresses used to post the comments.
The police investigation ran into early delays as police went back and forth trying to decide whether the case lay in the hands of the university or Prince George's County Police.
The Diamondback first contacted University Police early Tuesday afternoon when the first threat appeared. University Police passed the case to county police because the poster claimed to be an off-campus College Park resident, but it returned to University Police more than a day later when the IP address was traced to a computer on the campus.
The Diamondback decided to delay the article's publication after University Police said its publication may hinder their investigation.
Frailey said he appreciates the police's efforts, in case the comments are more than a prank.
"We all just wanted to be sure because there are a lot of crazy people who live in this town," he wrote in an e-mail.
holtdbk@gmail.com
A suspect affiliated with the university has been identified and University Police Spokesman Paul Dillon said charges may be filed. He declined to release the suspect's name or connection to the university until the case is reviewed by the state attorney's office.
The four comments, posted last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday under the name John A. Zelansky, targeted students profiled in the article "Noise Complaint," which described student residents at odds with their quiet-seeking neighbors. The commenter claimed to live near the students and said he'd shoot them if they continued making noise.
The students said the comments concerned them at first, but this weekend they still enjoyed their favorite weekend pasttime of playing Whiffle ball outside, even though it has resulted in multiple complaints.
"I mean it definitely scared us a little bit but for the most part we did what we normally do," said one of the housemates, Clif Frailey.
Frailey hypothesized the threats were "just some kid trying to be funny," but Dillon did not say whether the suspect was a student, professor or staff member.
The Diamondback removed the comments from its website because they violated its policy against posting hateful or threatening material. Diamondback editors have cooperated with police and supplied detectives with the IP and e-mail addresses used to post the comments.
The police investigation ran into early delays as police went back and forth trying to decide whether the case lay in the hands of the university or Prince George's County Police.
The Diamondback first contacted University Police early Tuesday afternoon when the first threat appeared. University Police passed the case to county police because the poster claimed to be an off-campus College Park resident, but it returned to University Police more than a day later when the IP address was traced to a computer on the campus.
The Diamondback decided to delay the article's publication after University Police said its publication may hinder their investigation.
Frailey said he appreciates the police's efforts, in case the comments are more than a prank.
"We all just wanted to be sure because there are a lot of crazy people who live in this town," he wrote in an e-mail.
holtdbk@gmail.com
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Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 7
Andrew
posted 4/28/08 @ 10:47 AM EST
So, when multiple guys get on the message board with masked threats of rape, as happened with the aftermath of the Skirt Day rebuttals... the Diamondback does nothing and claims to be "fostering campus conversation. (Continued…)
Pauline
posted 4/28/08 @ 11:10 AM EST
Noise is really a relative thing, e.g. weekends "blowing off steam"; end of year/semester parties.. I think almost any long time resident of CP can deal with that kind of noise. (Continued…)
Reality
posted 4/28/08 @ 3:52 PM EST
The comments were simply intended to be a joke. I realize now that it was a joke in very poor taste. I never intended for anybody to take them seriously or feel threatened. (Continued…)
What an idiot....
posted 4/28/08 @ 8:50 PM EST
The world we find ourselves in today can not allow idiots like this to go unpunished. Maybe it was a joke, maybe not. Who knows? There are people who can claim it was all fun and games and then snap one day. (Continued…)
Former Student
posted 4/29/08 @ 6:17 AM EST
"...and of course, he/she must apologize to the students threatened."
Do forced, meaningless and empty apologies make you feel all warm and fuzzy? Here's a hint: when they're demanded, they generally don't mean anything at all. (Continued…)
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