OC Shooting Threat Suspect in Police Custody

One week after Oklahoma Christian University locked down due to a threatening phone call, the university police department confirmed the suspect who threatened the school is now in police custody.

In an exclusive interview with The Talon, university police chief Greg Giltner said the caller was arrested on Jan. 19 and is currently being held in another state.

“I was contacted by Oklahoma City Police Criminal Intel Unit,” Giltner said. “[they said] the suspect who made the phone calls to campus was in custody in Missoula, Montana.”

Giltner said the Oklahoma City Police Department were not the only people searching for the suspect, as he had called other locations in addition to Oklahoma Christian.

“After the suspect made phone calls to our campus, our understanding is he made some phone calls to other places,” Giltner said. “He’s made multiple phone calls. He’s got a warrant out in Virginia.”

Giltner also suggested the caller could have made over-the-phone threats to the White House, allowing him to be caught more quickly than he otherwise would have been.

“If that is the case, that probably sped the investigation up quite a bit,” Giltner said. “When you threaten the White House, things go into fast mode.”

It is still unclear what exact charges the suspect will be faced with, but Glitner said they will probably take the form of misdemeanors rather than felonies.

“He wasn’t on campus, and it was something made over the phone,” Giltner said. “So some of the charges will be dealing with wire and other phone-type stuff.”

While the campus PD is still waiting on exact charges from the DA, Giltner believes the suspect will be “tied up” for a while thanks to his $100,000 bond.

Giltner said he is thankful the phone call did not cause actual harm to the campus.

“I’m glad he’s in custody and won’t be making anymore phone calls,” Giltner said. “I had to take the threat seriously until I found out he wasn’t on campus, and that will also play a part in the arrest and charges, but ultimately, it turned out okay.”

It is currently unclear if the suspect will be extradited and brought to trial in Oklahoma, as other charges may have been more severe.