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Penn State Student Locked Up For Alleged Threats

UNIVERSITY PARK — The threat of a mass shooting meant increased police presence at Penn State’s student center on Monday, even though police say the...

UNIVERSITY PARK -- The threat of a mass shooting meant increased police presence at Penn State's student center on Monday, even though police say they arrested the student responsible for the threat.

A Penn State student is now in the Centre County jail, accused of making a threat to shoot other students on the University Park campus at noon.

Even though there was an arrest Sunday night, university police took some extra precautions.

Police say, Jong Shim, 20, a sophomore from New Jersey, told police the shooting threat he made anonymously over a social media site this weekend was meant to be a prank.

On campus some students and police were not taking that joke lightly.

Penn State campus police officers made their presence known at the student union building at Penn State Main Campus.

"I don't remember the last time I saw a security guard here in the HUB."

Penn State Police Chief Tyrone Parham says students should feel safe now that Jong Shim, the student police believe threatened to shoot up the HUB, has been arrested and charged.

"Even though he is in the Centre County jail, we wanted to reassure them that they should feel safe in their environment," said Chief Parham.

According to police, Shim used a social media site, Yik Yak to anonymously make the threat over the weekend.

The post said assault rifles would be brought to the student union building, known as the HUB, at noon to, "kill everyone in Penn State Main."

"This is a serious message. Someone is threatening to come to the HUB and shoot people or students."

Students say by lunch time this place is usually packed. They think some students decided to stay away from the HUB just in case.

"My sister from home texted me and told me, 'Be careful. Don't go to the HUB,' but I felt safe," said one Penn State student.

Police say the social media site Yik Yak helped police track the posting to Shim's off-campus apartment.

"He admitted to making the post the night before. We searched the residence. There were no weapons found."

Shim told officers it was all a prank.

"I think it was not something appropriate to joke about and he needs to be made an example of because we can't have these interruptions happening frequently," said freshman Hayley Kohler.

Shim was arrested and charged with terroristic threats and disorderly conduct.

Shim is locked up in Centre County on $100,000 bail.

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