Rutgers Lecturer Forced to Undergo Psych Evaluation After 'Threatening' Tweets

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ— A Rutgers lecturer living in Brooklyn was taken to a Manhattan psychiatric hospital after the Rutgers University Police Department tipped off the New York Police Department about an inflammatory tweet he sent.

Kevin Allred, who is white, was taken to Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan by the NYPD for a psychiatric evaluation on Tuesday after his Nov. 10 tweet, which said: "Will the 2nd amendment be as cool when I buy a gun and start shooting at random white people or no...?"

"We were informed by Rutgers PD that he made threats to kill white people and he was subsequently taken to Bellevue Hospital for evaluation," an NYPD spokesperson told Patch. He was not arrested or charged with a crime.

"The Rutgers University Police Department responded to a complaint from a student and took all appropriate action. We have no further comment," E.J. Miranda, a spokesperson for the university, told Patch in a statement.

"Rutgers police contacted the 94 Precinct and requested a wellness check be conducted on the professor based on comments he made in the classroom and on Twitter about killing white people," Kellyann Ort, with the NYPD, told Patch. "Based on these comments he was transported to Bellevue Hospital for psychological evaluation."

Allred, an adjunct in the Women's And Gender Studies Department and an outspoken feminist, is known for teaching a popular class on the intersection of politics and Beyonce. He has not yet returned requests for comment.

After Twitter temporarily suspended Allred's account, he was forced to delete the tweet to have the account reactivated (you can see an archived version on WaybackMachine).

TWITTER JUST SUSPENDED MY ACCOUNT!!!! TO GET IT BACK THEY MADE ME DELETE ONE OF THE TWEETS IN QUESTION.
— Kevin Allred (@KevinAllred) November 16, 2016

and i didn't want to delete it bc i stand by the fact it's protected speech. but had to in order to get back on here.
— Kevin Allred (@KevinAllred) November 16, 2016

In a tweet sent this morning, Allred acknowledged the controversial aspect of his comments but denied that it was criminal.

YES, my 2nd amendment tweet was incendiary but completely w/in free speech. ZERO direct threat involved. posed as a rhetorical question.
— Kevin Allred (@KevinAllred) November 16, 2016

Allred was released from Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan around 11:40 p.m., Tuesday night, according to his own tweets. A representative for the hospital has not yet responded to requests for comment.

ok. they let me leave. this is a shitshow and is proof positive that Trump's crackdown on free speech has absolutely begun.
— Kevin Allred (@KevinAllred) November 16, 2016

even the doctors thought it was ridiculous to take me to a psychiatric hospital and force me into evaluation. it was fucking intimidation.
— Kevin Allred (@KevinAllred) November 16, 2016

she said politicians say much worse on live television with no repurcussions and they choose to waste resources bringing me in.
— Kevin Allred (@KevinAllred) November 16, 2016

His story gained traction on social media, with many rallying around him, including popular feminist writer, Jessica Valenti.

A feminist Rutgers lecturer was forced by police to undergo a psych eval because of his political tweets. It begins https://t.co/uga2LTWSmK
— Jessica Valenti (@JessicaValenti) November 16, 2016

.@KevinAllred we are a rutgers family. please let us know how we can best support you.
— Dina Oh (@dina_oh) November 16, 2016

I bet Rutgers alumni are so proud of you ! https://t.co/N9w1j008tC
— Dividend Master (@DividendMaster) November 16, 2016

Image via slgckgc, flickr.