What happens when you need to pay off a parking ticket and return a wheel lock, but Parking Services isn’t open yet? Maybe you can just leave it in a box outside of their door – seems simple enough, right? Nope, obviously everyone needs to freak out, because a box automatically equals a bomb.
According to a press release, around 7:50 a.m. Thursday, three college-aged men left a suspicious box in a hallway at the center, located at 504 Northwestern Ave. Police evacuated the building and used a portable X-ray machine to examine the box’s contents. Inside of the box there was a wheel lock, a Purdue parking ticket and $20. Police re-opened the center at 9 a.m.
So they closed down the building for an hour…no major harm done, right?
Police arrested 21-year-old Roy C. Sun of Andover, Mass., on preliminary charges of Class C felony terroristic mischief and possession of stolen property, a Class C felony. …
Terroristic mischief is when a person knowingly or intentionally places a device with the intent to cause a reasonable person to believe it is weapon of mass destruction, according to the press release.
Norberg said it is not a good use of police time when they have to respond to this kind of activity.
“It was a very serious matter to do something that mimics a terrorist activity – it uses numerous resources,” she said. “When they’re doing that they’re not out doing other things that might be needed.”
A Class C felony is punishable by a maximum of eight years in prison and a fine up to $10,000, and a Class D felony is punishable by a maximum of three years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
…Are you fucking kidding me?
First of all, it’s fairly obvious that the guy wasn’t knowingly or intentionally trying to make the box seem like a weapon of mass destruction (really? WMD?). He was trying to return a parking ticket and didn’t think that police would irrationally freak the fuck out about it. Maybe if this isn’t a good use of police time, police shouldn’t be so trigger happy to think there’s a freaking WMD in a tiny building on their relatively insignificant college campus in the middle of a corn field. Left outside the White House, I can understand – but outside of Parking Services at Purdue? What did they think, someone got so disgruntled with getting ticketed that it was time to do everyone in?
He hasn’t been officially charged yet, so hopefully the prosecutor’s office will realize how ridiculous this is. There is a facebook group and they’ve already held a protest. On top of that, this story is becoming popular on reddit… Lovely that Purdue will yet again be in the news for something stupid. We’re really building up our image this year.
Oh the glory….
pplr
Oh the glory….pplr
Maybe I'm unclear as the exact meaning of a WMD, don't nukes tend to be, um, WAY BIGGER that an parking ticket and wheel lock? And substantially heavier?
Man, I thought this kind of mindless panic in reaction to the tiniest possibly-terrorist thing was mostly behind us. Guess there's still a way to go on that front.
Maybe I’m unclear as the exact meaning of a WMD, don’t nukes tend to be, um, WAY BIGGER that an parking ticket and wheel lock? And substantially heavier? Man, I thought this kind of mindless panic in reaction to the tiniest possibly-terrorist thing was mostly behind us. Guess there’s still a way to go on that front.
Never forget 9/11
Never forget 9/11
Wow … talk about Epic Fail for the cops. Again.
Wow … talk about Epic Fail for the cops. Again.
All stupidity of the kampus kops aside, how did he get the wheel lock off anyway? I thought the point was you paid the ticket THEN someone took the lock off for you…
(Anecdote time: In 1989 I as stationed at USCG Airstation Kodiak in Alaska. It was the year that the USS Vincennse shot down the Iranian jetliner and because of the 'threat of reprisals' the entire base went to Threat Condition Alpha. The Boatswains Mates on Security were ecstatic: M-16s were carried, bullet-proof vests donned and IDs checked all over the place.
My thought the entire time was: my PARENTS barely know where the heck I am. If the Iranians blew up Airstation Kodiak most of the lower forty-eight would have ask if it was even in the United States. Big difference between a soft target and a target nobody really cares much about.)
All stupidity of the kampus kops aside, how did he get the wheel lock off anyway? I thought the point was you paid the ticket THEN someone took the lock off for you…(Anecdote time: In 1989 I as stationed at USCG Airstation Kodiak in Alaska. It was the year that the USS Vincennse shot down the Iranian jetliner and because of the ‘threat of reprisals’ the entire base went to Threat Condition Alpha. The Boatswains Mates on Security were ecstatic: M-16s were carried, bullet-proof vests donned and IDs checked all over the place.My thought the entire time was: my PARENTS barely know where the heck I am. If the Iranians blew up Airstation Kodiak most of the lower forty-eight would have ask if it was even in the United States. Big difference between a soft target and a target nobody really cares much about.)
Well, this sounds just like someone with a badge assuming they are more important than they are. In the end, police time is to be used to investigate possible crimes. This wasn't, and the cops should issue a statement asking people not to do it again, and carry on. Arresting someone? Horseshit.
Well, this sounds just like someone with a badge assuming they are more important than they are. In the end, police time is to be used to investigate possible crimes. This wasn’t, and the cops should issue a statement asking people not to do it again, and carry on. Arresting someone? Horseshit.
Future Headlines(prediction by pboyfloyd)
Teenagers arrested and charged, prison term likely.
At 09:30 on Saturday morning, an elderly couple became afraid when they saw the seagulls squawlking and flying around. Being 'concerned citizens' they immediately used their cell phone to contact the police who, along with the SWAT and the Bomb Squad, arrived and arrested two unnamed hellions for possible WMD placement.
One of the little bastards is quoted as saying, "We were just scaring the seagulls!"
The elderly gentleman is said to have retorted, "I totally messed a perfectly good 'Depends'! These spawn of Satan ought not to be allowed to roam the beaches!"
When informed that his son will be to blame for the $2.5 million sifting through the entire body of sand, Mr. Alfred Johnston replied, "What the FUCK is wrong with you people?"
Police are considering laying charges of "Words of Mass Destruction.", against him, may he rot in HELL!
Future Headlines(prediction by pboyfloyd)Teenagers arrested and charged, prison term likely.At 09:30 on Saturday morning, an elderly couple became afraid when they saw the seagulls squawlking and flying around. Being ‘concerned citizens’ they immediately used their cell phone to contact the police who, along with the SWAT and the Bomb Squad, arrived and arrested two unnamed hellions for possible WMD placement.One of the little bastards is quoted as saying, “We were just scaring the seagulls!”The elderly gentleman is said to have retorted, “I totally messed a perfectly good ‘Depends’! These spawn of Satan ought not to be allowed to roam the beaches!”When informed that his son will be to blame for the $2.5 million sifting through the entire body of sand, Mr. Alfred Johnston replied, “What the FUCK is wrong with you people?”Police are considering laying charges of “Words of Mass Destruction.”, against him, may he rot in HELL!
^ A bit on-the-nose, but it works.
^ A bit on-the-nose, but it works.
It's fairly amazing that these people could actually produce the words that came out of their mouths without realizing that it's the fucking bonehead police wasting the police's time, not someone who left a box outside an administrative building. I'm actually faintly hoping this is a Poe but since you're actually at Purdue I guess it probably isn't.
It’s fairly amazing that these people could actually produce the words that came out of their mouths without realizing that it’s the fucking bonehead police wasting the police’s time, not someone who left a box outside an administrative building. I’m actually faintly hoping this is a Poe but since you’re actually at Purdue I guess it probably isn’t.