Arrest Made for Threat of Violence During Chaotic Night at University of Missouri

Police have arrested an individual suspected of threatening attacks against University of Missouri students via the social media service Yik Yak, officials at the university’s Columbia campus announced in a statement after a night during which several rumors of potential violence were reported. The school said the suspect “is in MUPD custody and was not located on or near the MU campus at the time of the threat.” (Update, 10:10 a.m.: Police say the suspect’s name is Hunter Park and that he was arrested at 1:50 a.m. after being located in Rolla, Missouri, which is approximately 90 miles from Columbia. It’s not clear how he was identified; Yik Yak is an anonymous service.)

Here’s one threat that circulated widely overnight (authorities have not said which threats were made by the suspect):

Another:

Further fears of an imminent attack were raised by student body president Payton Head, who wrote in a Facebook post (which he later apologized for, calling it an overreaction to rumors) that members of the KKK were in the area. From CNN:

“Students please take precaution. Stay away from the windows in residence halls. The KKK has been confirmed to be sighted on campus,” Head wrote in a post that has since been deleted. “I’m working with the MUPD, the state trooper and the National Guard.” 

No actual violence appears to have been reported against a Missouri student overnight. The university system’s president, Tim Wolfe, resigned earlier this week during widespread protests of his handling of racial tension on campus.