Alabama student called in bomb threat to LSU-Florida game because friend was losing bet
Some friends are willing to do more for you than others.A student at the University of Alabama is suspected of dialing in a hoax bomb threat to the Louisiana State University’s Tiger Stadium in a bid to halt Saturday’s game against the University of Florida.
Freshman Connor Croll, 19, was arrested Sunday morning on the UA campus in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. He told police he needed to stop the game because his friend was going to lose big.
Presumably his friend had backed the Gators. Despite the bomb threat, the game continued uninterrupted and LSU ran out of there a comfortable winner, 42-28.
According to a warrant filed by the 19th Judicial District Court in East Baton Rouge Parish, Croll called Baton Rouge Police Department’s non-emergency line mid-game and said, “There is a bomb in the stadium.”
Terrorizing Law
But he was apparently calling from a number that was directly traceable to him. He was booked into jail on Sunday morning, where he is being held without bond. He is expected to face trial in Louisiana, although it’s currently unclear what he will be charged with.
If charged under Louisiana’s Terrorizing law, he could face a maximum 15 years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.
The Terrorizing law concerns anyone who “intentionally communicate[s] information of a crime of violence, which causes the public to be in sustained fear for their safety, causes the evacuation of a building, or other serious disruption to the general public.”
We are aware of the arrest of a UA freshman over the weekend,’ said a UA spokesman in an official statement. “Threats and pranks can have serious ramifications and necessitate an appropriate response. The university and UAPD are cooperating fully with the investigation, but we cannot provide any additional details on a pending matter.
“UA will follow its student conduct policies and procedures. The LSU community has always been gracious to us, and we regret these events.”
Immediate Sweep of Stadium
LSU said it could not comment on the case or specific security measures, but praised the response of law enforcement agencies to the situation.
“In this case, protocol was followed efficiently and effectively to quickly ascertain the source of the threat,” read a statement. “That protocol including an immediate sweep of the stadium and a multi-agency investigation, which led to the suspect being identified within minutes and arrested soon thereafter.
There is nothing more important than the safety and well-being of the public on campus,” LSU added.
Purdue University in Indiana and St. Joseph’s University in Pennsylvania recently banned their students from placing bets involving school teams in their respective states’ newly launched sports betting markets.
But it should be noted that sports betting is still illegal in Alabama, which means Croll’s friend likely placed his bet through the black market — although Louisiana’s Terrorizing law is probably a matter of greater concern for Croll at the moment.
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