Associate Circuit Judge Kimberly Shaw denied a request for reduction in bond during the arraignment of defendant Hunter Michael Park, a 19-year-old sophomore charged with a felony count of making terrorist threats.
Park appeared before the court via closed circuit television feed from the Boone County Jail. His father, mother and two brothers were in the courtroom.
University of Missouri police officers arrested Hunter Park at 2 AM Wednesday morning at his dorm room at Missouri University of Science and Technology campus in Rolla.
According to a probable cause statement filed by MU police and tweeted by a reporter from the Columbia Tribune, Park admitted to posting threats to "shoot every black person I see" on YikYak, a semi-anonymous, location-based social media platform. In the probable cause statement, investigating officer Dustin Heckmaster said Park also admitted to posting "some of you are alright; don't go to campus tomorrow", recalling online statements connected to the October shooting at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Ore.
Park was originally denied bond. After waiving the formal reading of charges, defense attorney Jeff Hilbrenner requested that bond be set at $10,000 on the condition that he remain in house detention and be restricted from accessing the Internet.
Hilbrenner pointed out that Park had no prior criminal record and was cooperative when contacted by MU police.
"Secondly and more importantly," Hilbrenner added, "the investigation doesn't show any evidence that Mr. Park had any capability or any mechanism to carryout this threat. There were no weapons found on him, in his room, anywhere. And so while this is very serious and we understand that, there's no evidence that there was any mechanism by which the threat could be carried out."
Boone County assistant prosecuting attorney Andi Hayes opposed the bond reduction. "Threats were made to the community and we believe that he is a danger," Hayes said.
Judge Shaw set a felony review hearing for 1:30 PM November 18. If convicted, Park could face three to ten years in prison.
