Morris Plains Man Threatened West Coast College With Gun: Prosecutor

MORRIS PLAINS, NJ — A Morris Plains man was arrested for allegedly calling in threats to a college in Washington state last month, Morris County Prosecutor Fredrick M. Knapp said in a statement.

Robert W. Kerekes Jr., 53, is accused of calling in threats to Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington on June 2. As a result, the college was shut down on June 2 and June 3, Knapp said. State and local law enforcement in Washington responded to the college during the threats, according to Knapp.

Kerekes allegedly called the Thurston County, Washington 911 center on June 1 and said:

“Yes, I’m on my way to Evergreen University now with a .44 Magnum. I’m gonna execute as many people on that campus as I can get a hold of. You have that? What’s going on there? You communist, scumbag town. I’m going to murder as many people on that campus as I can. Just keep your eyes open, you scumbag.”

Evergreen State has been the focus of conservative and leftist activists recently. Each year, the college hosts a "day of absence" for students and faculty of color; the day is meant to symbolize how important people of color are to the campus.

This year, campus activists instead asked white students and faculty to leave campus. In response, Bret Weinstein, a biology instructor, wrote an email calling the request "an act of oppression" against whites. Weinstein later appeared on Tucker Carlson's show on Fox News to defend himself. Other conservative media outlets picked up the story as an example of on-campus censorship. Aside from the death threats, hate symbols like swastikas began appearing on campus, according to The Stranger.

Kereks is charged with crimes of terroristic threats, criminal cohersion, and false public alarm. He is being held in the Morris County Correctional Facility.

Additional reporting by Neal McNamara (Patch Staff)

Image via Creative Commons