Edmonton police have charged a University of Alberta student after a bomb threat was posted on social media earlier this month.
Campus security notified city police on April 19, about a post on Chillabit — a social media app for university students.
The post reads, “Planning to bomb the University administration building, and the St. Jean admin building in protest. Email me at april30@nada.email for info and to join,” according to The University of Alberta’s student newspaper, The Gateway, which published a screenshot of the post Thursday.
Cheryl Voordenhout, Edomonton Police Service spokesperson, confirmed that was the post investigated by police.
The 20-year-old man was arrested without incident on campus on April 21. After a search of his residence, police charged him with uttering threats and conveying a false message with intent to injure or alarm.
“As soon as the post was detected, University Protective Services and police investigated and continuously monitored campus buildings,” Voordenhout told CBC News Friday morning.
Police found no evidence of explosives on campus and deemed an evacuation unnecessary, she said.
Edmonton police said they take all threats to the public security seriously.
“Social media can give us the feeling of being anonymous and without consequence,” said Det. Philip Hawkins, with the EPS cyber crime investigations unit, in a press release.
“This particular threat resulted in a large-scale police investigation of the student’s home that involved our tactical and bomb disposal units.”