UPDATE:
According to the Neosho Police Department, Anthony Volkman, 17, of Lockwood, has been charged with making a terrorist threat, a Class C felony. He is in custody in the Newton County Jail on a $50,000 cash-only bond.
Police say on December 5 and December 6 an individual enrolled in online courses, who they allege was Volkman, made comments about shooting other individuals and suggested that he had explosive devices.
They say, upon further investigation, the student was located in a van near the Brown Building (dormitory) in the parking lot. Volkman made comments to school personnel and officers confirming that he made the threats earlier in the day and the day before. Volkman was taken into custody without incident and is currently at the Newton County Jail.
During a search of his vehicle, a possible explosive device was located. The Springfield Fire Department Bomb Squad, Neosho Fire Department, Newton County Sheriff’s Office, Newton County Ambulance, Missouri State Highway Patrol and Missouri State Fire Marshal were called in to assist. The Springfield Fire Department Bomb Squad rendered the device safe and checked for other devices on the property. Due to the potential for harm to other students and faculty, Crowder College authorities decided to cancel school for Monday December 7, 2015.
If anyone has any further information pertaining to this case, they are encouraged to contact the Neosho Police Department at (417) 451-8012.
ORIGINAL STORY: Crowder College in Neosho is closed today and Neosho Police have a person in custody because of what is described as “a possible threat to campus.”
Cindy Brown is director of public information at Crowder.
"We had statements made by an individual of a possible threatening situation on campus and so we evacuated our Brown Residence Halls earlier this morning."
According to the college’s public information office, Crowder College administration was notified Sunday evening of the possible threat. Following an investigation by campus security, Neosho police was contacted at 10 Sunday night.
They located an individual in his vehicle on campus near the Brown Housing Complex early Monday morning and took him into custody.
According to Brown, the suspect made the threats to various students on campus.
She wouldn’t give specifics about the threat, but she said campus administration was “waiting on ATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) to get here.”
A majority of the houses at Brown Housing Complex was evacuated, and the students were moved to Davidson Hall’s FEMA Shelter. They’ve since been allowed to return home.
