Kent State student accused of tweeting threat instructed to stay away from school, president

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Kent State University student accused of posting a message on Twitter saying he planned to “shoot up” the northeastern Ohio campus was instructed Monday to stay away from the school and its president.

William Koberna, a 19-year-old sophomore, will be released Monday after posting part of a $50,000 bond set at Portage County Municipal Court in Ravenna, about 20 miles east of Akron. He appeared via video from the Portage County Jail.


Conditions of his bond require Koberna to wear a GPS tracking device and to stay away from university President Lester Lefton and the school.

University officials say an employee was monitoring social media mentions of the school when a profanity laced tweet posted July 25 was discovered. The public tweet mentioned Kent State University, identified the university president by name and included the threat: “I’m shooting up your school ASAP.”

Koberna was arrested Sunday afternoon at his parents’ home in the Cleveland suburb of Brunswick after university officials contacted police about the tweet. Officials say he was taken into custody without incident.

“Our primary concern is keeping the school safe,” said university spokesman Eric Mansfield. “We took this tweet very, very seriously, which is why we contacted police so quickly.”

Koberna has been charged with inducing panic, a felony, and aggravated menacing, a misdemeanor. A preliminary hearing is scheduled Friday at the Kent branch of Portage County Municipal Court. Court records do not list an attorney for the teen. Public records also do not list a phone number for him.

Mansfield said university officials are meeting Monday to discuss what disciplinary actions will be taken against Koberna. He could face possible suspension or expulsion.