TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — An Eckerd College student who was arrested on campus Thursday was accused of threatening to shoot up the school, authorities said.
According to an arrest report, 23-year old Eli Altman Johnson is facing a charge of written or electronic threats to kill, do bodily injury or conduct a mass shooting or an act of terrorism.
Police said they learned Johnson had made threatening statements to a person off-campus via voicemail and texts.
“I also want you to know that I’m going to kill you before I kill myself. I’m going to shoot you in the [redacted] face and then I’m going to shoot up the school. So let’s see after I say these horrible things if you’ll call me back,” Johnson said in the voicemail, according to police.
Investigators say Johnson put a down payment on a semi-automatic handgun earlier in the day, but had not taken possession of the firearm due to the 72-hour waiting period.
Campus security located Johnson in his dorm room and held him there until police officers arrived. Police said he ingested pills and had to be hospitalized. Once he was medically cleared, he was Baker Acted and booked into the Pinellas County Jail, the report said.
Johnson is being held at a Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bond.
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“Eckerd College remains committed to full cooperation with the St. Petersburg Police Department, the lead investigator on this case. We do not comment on active investigations. Resources have been made available to our community members who have been affected by this incident,” the college said in a statement following his arrest.