Online threat prompts arrest

Online threat prompts arrest
By Kari Petrie and David Unze • kpetrie@stcloudtimes.com, dunze@stcloudtimes.com • March 20, 2010

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Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A A New Hope man was arrested Friday after police say he made threatening comments about a cultural event at St. Cloud State University on the Internet.




James Scott Miller, 49, posted comments on Craigslist about an upcoming Somali event at St. Cloud State, Sgt. Jeff Oxton said. The comments were posted at 5:35 p.m. Wednesday.
Police were able to identify Miller as the lone author, Oxton said.
New Hope Police Department arrested Miller, and St. Cloud police brought him to Stearns County Jail. He could be charged with making terroristic threats, authorities said.
Oxton said the investigation has revealed this as a singular incident and there are no further suspects.
Miller had no known affiliation to the university, said Steve Ludwig, vice president for administrative affairs at St. Cloud State. New Hope is a suburb on the west side of the Twin Cities. It is about 60 miles from St. Cloud.
The Somali cultural event, which is one of the best-attended cultural events on campus, is planned for today, and campus public safety officers will be monitoring the event, Ludwig said.
“We expect a wonderful event with good speakers and wonderful food and about 500 people in attendance,” Ludwig said.
The Somali cultural event was advertised on Craigslist, and St. Cloud State received a call Wednesday about a post in response to the advertisement, Ludwig said. St. Cloud State officials called St. Cloud police immediately, Ludwig said. The poster made a general statement threatening violence and about coming to the event, Ludwig said.
“Police took it very seriously and worked immediately to identify the person, get the post removed and investigate the individual who made the post,” Ludwig said.