Federal Authorities Charge Alaska Man with Last May’s Threats to Campus

To the Lafayette Community:

I am writing to let you know that federal authorities have charged a man in Anchorage, Alaska, with perpetrating last May’s emailed and social media threats to the campus.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI plan to share more details about the investigation during a Wednesday news conference at 10:30 a.m. at the College, where I will join U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain and FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Harpster.

At this time, and on behalf of everyone affiliated with Lafayette, I want to express our immense gratitude to all of the federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, including our own Department of Public Safety, for their diligence in pursuing this investigation and identifying a suspect.

I also want to thank the Lafayette community – students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni – for supporting one another during a difficult time last May, and for helping the College return to a sense of normalcy as quickly as possible once the FBI had determined that the threat was not credible.

As a result of the May incident, we have taken steps to ensure that the campus community is well informed about our safety procedures and communications protocols, as outlined in this email sent in August by Vice President for Campus Life Annette Diorio and Director of Public Safety Jeff Troxell.

While we are relieved an arrest has been made, we will continue to make emergency planning a high priority, as nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our students.

President Alison Byerly