Shooting threat suspect apprehended
Nader Alsheikh
Issue date: 12/6/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
Loyola Marmyount University had a day of heightened security after a shooting threat appeared online. The Los Angeles Police Department arrested Carlos Heurta, 21-year-old student at Loyola Marymount University, near his apartment on campus for suspicion of making criminal threats.
The suspect allegedly posted, "I am going to shoot and kill as many people as I can until which time I am incapacitated or killed by the police." The entry was eventually taken off the site, however the investigators worked in conjunction with University officials to determine that the threat had come from a computer registered to Huerta, according to police.
JuicyCampus.com has drawn concern from the
University's administration in the weeks preceding this incident over its anonymous material, which has been classified as hate speech by the University.
Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Lane Bove asked the Bias Incident Response Team to investigate JuicyCampus.com weeks ago, treating it as hate speech. "BIRT will be visiting this issue in the upcoming week," said Bove.
The Web site advertises itself as completely anonymous, but "there is nothing anonymous in the electronic age, everything is traceable," Bove said.
"After 9/11 and the shootings in Omaha, you can't joke around with these kinds of threats," Bove said. This is the second online shooting threat that the LAPD has had to investigate since Friday
According to Deputy Chief Michael Downing, head of the LAPD Counterterrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau, "There was never an indication the threat made was a valid one, and there is no on-going threat to LMU."
"What is clear," said Chief Downing, "is that we take any threat seriously and will quickly respond, track down those responsible for sending the messages, and we will arrest them."
When reflecting on the University's response, Bove assessed the systems set in place favorably and emphasized the University's commitment to keeping students at LMU safe.
The suspect allegedly posted, "I am going to shoot and kill as many people as I can until which time I am incapacitated or killed by the police." The entry was eventually taken off the site, however the investigators worked in conjunction with University officials to determine that the threat had come from a computer registered to Huerta, according to police.
JuicyCampus.com has drawn concern from the
University's administration in the weeks preceding this incident over its anonymous material, which has been classified as hate speech by the University.
Senior Vice President for Student Affairs Dr. Lane Bove asked the Bias Incident Response Team to investigate JuicyCampus.com weeks ago, treating it as hate speech. "BIRT will be visiting this issue in the upcoming week," said Bove.
The Web site advertises itself as completely anonymous, but "there is nothing anonymous in the electronic age, everything is traceable," Bove said.
"After 9/11 and the shootings in Omaha, you can't joke around with these kinds of threats," Bove said. This is the second online shooting threat that the LAPD has had to investigate since Friday
According to Deputy Chief Michael Downing, head of the LAPD Counterterrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau, "There was never an indication the threat made was a valid one, and there is no on-going threat to LMU."
"What is clear," said Chief Downing, "is that we take any threat seriously and will quickly respond, track down those responsible for sending the messages, and we will arrest them."
When reflecting on the University's response, Bove assessed the systems set in place favorably and emphasized the University's commitment to keeping students at LMU safe.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 20
Kiersten
posted 12/08/07 @ 2:54 PM PST
Why are we still allowing people to continue with business if the threat is serious enough to post online and warn people about it? There's the words but no action. (Continued…)
Curtis
posted 12/08/07 @ 4:19 PM PST
So wait... this took place ON THE SIXTH!?!??!? AND I'M JUST HEARING ABOUT IT NOW?!?!?! I didn't hear anything about this during the week, what is wrong with this school!?!?!
Loyolan
posted 12/08/07 @ 4:52 PM PST
No it happened today (12.8), but the issue date is 12/6, which was the last time the Loyolan printed a copy of the newspaper.
Don
posted 12/08/07 @ 5:01 PM PST
Aw, what lousy timing for something like this! I know it's most likely this is some idiot trying a sorry excuse of a prank, but I'm still gonna be worried throughout finals. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 12/08/07 @ 7:06 PM PST
JuicyCampus is a website dedicated to creating gossip amongst a campus. Much of this gossip (but not all) is not real, but instead for the enjoyment of those posting and reading it. (Continued…)
Anonymous
posted 12/08/07 @ 11:53 PM PST
The Loyolan enabled this monster by bolstering its popularity through a front page article about an insignificant 23 posts. Reap what you sow from your fellow gossip publication. (Continued…)
Jasmin Abdulla
posted 12/09/07 @ 3:12 AM PST
Forget all you guys, if it weren't for the Loyolan, as a commuter, I wouldn't have known shit. I would've been stuck in the nearly empty library, wondering why the hell barely anyone was on campus and why LAPD were everywhere, and DID NOT GET ANY TEXT MESSAGES OR CALLS OR EMERGENCY SERVICE I SIGNED UP FOR IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR. (Continued…)
Darryl
posted 12/09/07 @ 3:55 AM PST
This is a response not about gossip, or death threats, but proof that the LMU often takes safety for granted because we have the money to protect ourselves. (Continued…)
JuicyCampus
posted 12/09/07 @ 1:57 PM PST
1. JuicyCampus saved your lives. Had it not been around, Carlos Huerta would have just shot you, instead he used the site to give us forewarning and police were then able to respond. (Continued…)
Rumorville
posted 12/12/07 @ 11:15 AM PST
Off the Record Update:
It has been reported that Huerta is suspended from LMU pending further investigation by the LAPD. Until the investigation is complete, Huerta is to be expelled if he comes to the Campus. (Continued…)
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