By Natasha Korecki
The Chicago Sun-Times
CHICAGO — The posting on Facebook said that campus police had the wrong suspect in a series of bomb threats at Western Illinois University — but the message wound up landing the suspect in a federal courthouse.
The FBI on Tuesday arrested Cameron McKoy, 18, of Chicago. He is suspected of making repeated threats to residence halls on the Macomb campus. The evacuations and calls to authorities prompted the school to offer a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the culprit.
McKoy was initially arrested Oct. 25, on allegations he made a bomb threat from his cell phone.
But the threats continued, coming in later over an automated phone service and on notes. A Nov. 5 call made to a residence hall claimed: “Dummy, you got the wrong person in trouble last week. I still live in the building ... will blow up at 10 tonight.”
Students whose lives were disrupted by the threats set up a Facebook page to talk about the investigation. That’s when someone named “WIUHACKER” posted a message on Facebook claiming responsibility and saying the wrong student was arrested.
Federal authorities subpoenaed Facebook records and traced the post to McKoy’s computer, according to charges. They also traced the automated calls to his computer, according to the charges.
McKoy appeared in a Peoria court Tuesday. Prosecutors asked that he be kept behind bars.
McKoy was given a court-appointed attorney. A detention hearing will be held Monday. He was suspended from school after the first arrest and now faces expulsion.
“We are so ready to put these instances to bed and be able to continue with a normal campus life,” said school spokeswoman Darcie Shinberger.
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