Kent State Suspends Student Over Twitter Threat
William Koberna is accused of threatening to open fire on the university campus
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The student who threatened to open fire on the Kent State University campus has been suspended.
William Koberna, 19, of Brunswick, was placed on interim suspension by university officials Tuesday.
Kent State spokesperson Eric Mansfield said in an email that the interim suspension is "pending due process of criminal charges."
Kent State Police charged Koberna Monday with inducing panic, a fifth-degree felony, and aggravated menacing, a first-degree misdemeanor, after Koberna reportedly posted a message on Twitter in which he threatened to use a fire arm on campus.
He was arrested on the charges and released on a $4,900 bond Monday. A preliminary hearing on the charges is set for Friday morning in the Kent Municipal Court.
As part of his bond, Koberna was barred from setting foot on campus.
The conditions of his bond release also included that he wear a GPS monitoring bracelet; he is labeled as "persona non grata at KSU campus;" and that he have no contact with the alleged victim, Kent State President Lester Lefton, according to court records.
Mansfield said previously that university officials are interpreting the court's "persona non grata at KSU campus" as meaning all eight university campuses located across Northeast Ohio.
The tweet, posted this month, reportedly included profanity directed at Kent State President Lester Lefton and also stated "I'm shooting up your school ASAP," according to Ohio.com.
A sophomore, Koberna was attending classes at the Kent campus.
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Kent State University
500 E Main St, Kent, OH -
Portage County Municipal Court - Kent Branch
214 S Water St, Kent, OH
Teresa K.
1:11 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
I'm still waiting to hear if they recovered any weapons from his home when they arrested him. Or even if he or his family are gun owners.
Winston Smith
11:12 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
I don't think it matters if his family owns any guns. It's one of our rights as American's to own guns.
Adam C. Miller
9:05 pm on Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Looks like a winner!
Winston Smith
11:19 am on Thursday, August 2, 2012
Wow. What a dumb thing to "tweet". Sounds like the college did the right thing by banning him from campus. But other than not allowing him to attend classes, does a "ban" really do anything? It can't REALLY prevent him from going on there property.
A number of college student's are over 21 years old and have Ohio Concealed Carry permits, but must leave there handgun in there car. I think if they can carry a gun safely in society,they should be allowed to carry there gun into the building.
This way, if a nutjob like this guy starts shooting-they can at least defend themselves.
William B Budner ESQ.
3:33 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
no. it's an institution of higher learning, not guns.
Paxton Crenshaw
4:28 pm on Thursday, August 2, 2012
because nobody with a permit is ever a "nut job", right? i feel safer knowing that guns aren't allowed on campus. period.
Winston Smith
9:02 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
Hi William B. Budner ESQ.
You wrote:"no. it's an institution of higher learning, not guns."
What does that mean exactly? I mean the "not guns" part?
Winston Smith
9:12 am on Friday, August 3, 2012
Hi Paxton Crenshaw
You wrote:"because nobody with a permit is ever a "nut job", right? i feel safer knowing that guns aren't allowed on campus. period."
To answer your question-No. People with CCW permits are not nutjobs. Look at the data: Over 200,000 permits issued in Ohio, and no problems.
I'm glad to read that you would "FEEL SAFER" with no guns present. But ARE you safer? I suppose it's your all about "feeling". Answer this:Do you think any of the VICTIMS of mass murders , such as Aorora,CO., or Virginia Tech felt "safe", when the only person in the "Gun-Free Zone" was a maniac killing them? Both mass murders were committed in so-called "Gun-Free Zones" How safe is that?
Kent Millstead
7:57 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
No Problems? I Guess you don't read much news especially when it contradicts your point of view. Google Brian Scott Kolesar, Emmitt Weaver, Randy Shrodes, Matthew Warmus and Anthony Rodecker
All Ohio CCW holders who murdered others. Fortunately many of them also committed suicide with their weapon. Warmus gets special mention for murdering another CCW holder. When two CCW holders are involved in a shooting, which do you blindly support?
Kent Millstead
7:59 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
No Problems? I Guess you don't read much news, especially when it contradicts your point of view. Google Brian Scott Kolesar, Emmitt Weaver, Randy Shrodes, Matthew Warmus and Anthony Rodecker
Each of these is an Ohio CCW holders who murdered others. Fortunately many of them also committed suicide with their weapon. Warmus gets special mention for murdering another CCW holder. When two CCW holders are involved in a shooting, which do you blindly support? The survivor?
Winston Smith
10:35 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Hi Kent
Actually, I do follow the news. Just for fun, I searched the first 3 names. No evidence that any of them held a Ohio CCW permit.
I "blindly support" no one. I do however "blindley support" the US Constitution.
An Ohio CCW permit is a permit to CARRY a handgun. It is not a permit to USE a handgun. If one of the 200,000+ CCW permit holders uses ther defensive handgun, they will be judged.
Armed,law abiding people like me walk right next to you in the mall, in the Park, and stand right behind you in Wal-Mart.