SUNY Oneonta Student Charged

With Making Terroristic Threats

ONEONTA – A SUNY Oneonta student has been charged with making a terroristic threat after posting that he was going to “shoot up the school” on the popular Yik Yak social media platform.

Brandon Matthew Negron, 20, of New Windsor, was arrested by the New York State University Police at SUNY Oneonta on Sunday evening in connection with a post on YikYak that read “I’m going to shoot up the school. Be prepared Oneonta.”

The University Police launched an investigation Saturday evening after receiving reports of a threatening message posted briefly on Yik Yak at some point between 6 and 7 p.m. Saturday. Preliminary accounts indicated a reference to violence on Monday, but police were not able to see the actual content of the message until yesterday afternoon.

Following Negron’s arrest on Sunday evening, police searched his residence and determined that he did not possess a weapon of any type. The investigation also determined that Negron was acting alone.

Negron was charged with making a terroristic threat, a Class D felony, and second-degree aggravated harassment, a Class A misdemeanor. This arrest comes as the result of a joint investigation involving the Oneonta Police Department and New York State Police.

Negron was arraigned this morning in Oneonta City Court and released on bail. He remains enrolled at SUNY Oneonta while the college follows its student conduct process.