Threats by student prompt lockdown at Grays Harbor College

A student upset over problems with his schedule and financial aid sent threatening emails to staff members at Grays Harbor College on Tuesday, prompting administrators to close down the campus and send students and faculty home in the middle of the day.

“Judging by what has happened in other places, and a week ago in Orlando, we were being ultra-cautious,” said GHC President Ed Brewster.

Brewster said there have been other encounters with the student and there has been a pattern of escalation. When the emails came in, administrators quickly huddled and made the decision to close the campus, even though students were taking finals and the board of trustees was meeting. “We decided it was not worth the risk,” he said.

Aberdeen police went to the student’s home, but did not arrest him.

“The suspect that made the threats was not located at the college, so the officers responded to his home in Aberdeen and contacted him,” said Aberdeen Lt. Kevin Darst. “It was determined that the veiled threats were made through email and did not contain anything that would be criminal. The suspect stated that he was mad that the college messed up his schedule and his financial aid, so that he would have to do another semester of college.”

Darst said the student sent two emails. The first said, “I am too far beyond caring and only hope to do as much damage as possible, thank you for your concern.” The man said he was going to sue the college, Darst said, adding, the second email stated, “I can’t even respond right now, I am deciding how jail will affect my son.”

He told the officers that he was just angry and that he had no intentions of doing anything violent, Darst said. The officers determined that no crime had been committed.

Brewster said the threats warrant an arrest, in his opinion. “I don’t understand how, in today’s world, when someone communicates a threat, that isn’t something he can be arrested for. I don’t get that.”

He said college administrators are often second-guessed after the fact for not knowing about or acting on threatening behavior that has resulted in mass killings.

He said college officials have made arrangements for extra security on campus Wednesday and perhaps for the rest of the week. Some students were prevented from taking final exams Tuesday and he said instructors will do what they can to accommodate their students.