Student charged with felony following Yik Yak threat

Student charged with felony following Yik Yak threat

Written By: Talk of the Sound News

NEW YORK, NY — The New York State University Police at SUNY Oneonta arrested Brandon Matthew Negron on Sunday evening in connection with a threatening message posted to the Yik Yak social media platform Saturday.

Negron is a 20-year-old SUNY Oneonta student from New Windsor.

Negron was charged with making a terroristic threat, a Class D felony, and second-degree aggravated harassment, a Class A misdemeanor. This arrest is the result of a joint investigation involving the Oneonta Police Department and New York State Police.

The University Police launched an investigation Saturday evening after receiving reports of a threatening message posted briefly on Yik Yak at some point between 6 and 7 p.m. Saturday. Preliminary accounts indicated a reference to violence on Monday, but police were not able to see the actual content of the message until yesterday afternoon.  The UPD worked with Yik Yak to obtain the content of the post, which read, “I’m going to shoot up the school. Be prepared Oneonta.”

Following Negron’s arrest on Sunday evening, police searched his residence and determined that he did not possess a weapon of any type. The investigation also determined that Negron was acting alone.

Negron was arraigned this morning in Oneonta City Court and released on bail. He remains enrolled at SUNY Oneonta while the college follows its student conduct process.