Purdue students arrested for making bomb threat

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- A Purdue University student was arrested early Friday in connection with a bomb threat hours after it forced the evacuation of a campus residence hall and police have arrested three more Purdue University students in connection with a bomb threat.\nMicah Williams, 19, a freshman in the School of Liberal Arts from South Bend, could face a charge of false informing/false reporting an explosive, a Class D felony.\nIf convicted, he would face a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a $10,000 fine.\nFreshmen Sara Chrzan, 18, Whitne Pittman, 19, and Nsharra Turner, 19, were also arrested Friday on preliminary charges of false informing. All three could face a sentence of up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $5,000 if they are convicted.\nPurdue Police Capt. Ron Fosnaugh said Williams is suspected of making a random call to a Shreve Hall resident about 8:30 p.m. Thursday stating that there was a bomb in the building's basement.\nThe coed residence hall's 850 residents were evacuated for more than 90 minutes until police determined the threat was a hoax.\nAuthorities said the three women, who live in Meredith Hall, knew about a phone call 19-year-old Micah Williams was accused of making to a Shreve Hall resident Thursday night claiming that there was a bomb in the building's basement.\nFosnaugh said the Purdue Police Department worked with the student who received the threat to trace the call. That allowed them to quickly focus on Williams as the prime suspect.\nAfter hearing officers were trying to locate him, Williams called the department about 12:30 a.m. Friday and turned himself in, Fosnaugh said.\n"Knowing it was a matter of time, he called us and said, 'Here I am,'" Fosnaugh told the Journal and Courier.\nThe investigation indicates that Williams placed the call from a campus telephone. Thursday night's incident was the latest in a string of bomb threat hoaxes at Purdue this school year. Almost all remain unsolved.