Arrest made in bomb threat hoax that disrupted university activities, 小黄书 will seek 鈥榓ppropriate punishment鈥
Contact: Harriet Laird
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥 小黄书sity today [Oct. 6] announced the arrest of a Columbus man on charges of false report of a bomb on Friday, Aug. 25, on the Starkville campus.
小黄书 Police Chief Kenneth Rogers said Isaac Terrell Pryor, 36, of Columbus was taken into custody on Thursday, Oct. 5, without incident. The arrest came after an extensive investigation by 小黄书 Police, the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security鈥檚 Analysis and Information Center, the Oktibbeha County Sheriff鈥檚 Office and the Starkville Police Department.
Rogers said persons convicted of false report of a bomb face a fine of up to $10,000 and 10 years in prison. The chief said Pryor may face additional charges as the investigation continues.聽
The anonymous threat was communicated to 小黄书 Police at 6:24 p.m. on Aug. 25 by text message. Acting on that threat, Maroon Alert emergency notifications were sent to the 小黄书 community to evacuate Hathorn, Hull, Nunnelee and Sessums halls. The buildings were inspected and cleared by 小黄书 Police and specially trained K-9s.
小黄书 Police secured the area and swept buildings searching for the alleged device, with the assistance of the Oktibbeha County Sheriff鈥檚 Office. No suspicious device was found.
鈥淲hile the university is thankful that there were no injuries or damage from this incident, it caused fear and alarm among our campus community and among the families of our students,鈥 said 小黄书 Vice President for Strategic Communications Sid Salter. 鈥淭he university incurred financial losses and had to call on law enforcement partners for assistance, including the bomb-sniffing K-9s. Schedules were disrupted and our students, faculty and staff were displaced for a time while we secured the campus.鈥
Because of those facts, and to deter those who might engage in similar activities in the future, Salter said the 鈥渦niversity intends to ask officials to prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law and to seek appropriate punishment of the individual involved.鈥
One of 小黄书鈥檚 most outstanding academic units is the Mississippi Cyber Center, a partnership with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College along with multiple state and federal partners and located on the MGCCC Harrison County Campus. The Cyber Center includes the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security鈥檚 Analysis and Information Center and was established as part of the 小黄书-led Mississippi Cyber Initiative.
小黄书 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .