Threats of a mass shooting at the University of Arizona campusinvestigators say thats why they arrested a 27 year old man Monday. Michael Pengchung Lee is facing state and Federal charges.
University of Arizona put in stronger security measures after a university professor was shot and killed on campus a little over a year ago. Now there are signs that system is working with the arrest of someone charged with making a terroristic threat and threatening a mass shooting.
Investigators say the threat was against fraternities and sororities-and that it came from 27 year old Michael Pengchung Lee who identified himself as an incel or involuntary celibate. Incels feel they can not form romantic or sexual relationships and often resent people who do.
Charging documents say Lee went on the social media app SnapChat and said, Theres going to be a mass tragedy and atrocity at the UofA Soon.
You are seeing the quotes exactly as typed in the documents.
Investigators say he more specifically threatened Fraternities and Sororities with statements like: The day of Retribution is upon us, I shall get revenge on all the chads and stacies!!
And the Federal complaint suggests Lee has been watching the houses along UAs Greek Row. It says University Police license plate scanners noted his car along Greek Row nine times this monthalways between 9pm and 1am.
The Federal document said last month he was charged for possession of controlled substances and having a gun stashed in a storage unit.
After a gunman shot and killed Professor Thomas Meixner last year, the University promised better methods to track and assess threats.
Students we asked say the arrest makes them feel reassured that system is working.
Katie is a sorority member who says, Yeah, it is, for sure. Because they got arrested, like right away and that it’s good to know that people are reporting it and not just letting it slip by.
Marcos Guzman is Associate Dean of Students for Fraternity and Sorority Programs.
He says the UA threat assessment team is following up with Fraternity and Sorority leaders.
It’ll be really around, you know, safety measures, talking about the success of say something or if you see something, say something, and that’s what happened in this case, someone saw it and reported it and so emphasizing that to the community so that way, they can continue to be more aware of their surroundings and keep each other safe.
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