The Cumberland Times reported yesterday that Allieu Shaw, a 19-year old student at Frostburg State University, was arrested for allegedly making threats to “shoot up his school” while playing Call of Duty 4 on Xbox Live.  A fellow player, Kaipo Damurand of Oregon, heard the threats, along with "how he was going to do it." and contacted authorities.  By getting in touch with Microsoft, the police were able to quickly pin down Shaw’s location via his IP address and make the arrest.  The student is being charged with two misdemeanor counts of disrupting a school operation, for which he could receive up to one year in jail and/or $5,000.00 in fines.  He has also been temporarily suspended from FSU pending an administrative hearing.

A search of Shaw’s room found no weapons or materials that would indicate that this was anything more than an ill-advised offhand comment.  Shaw stated as much to investigators after his arrest, saying that "he was joking and had no intention of following through with the threats".  Still, with the memories of Colorado, Virginia Tech and Columbine fresh in people’s memories, people should know better than to make idle threats like this, especially in an open forum like XBL.  I’m a big freedom of speech guy, but this situation brings to mind the man who screams “Fire” in a crowded theater.  I think the arrest is justified, but I’m sure that some of you don’t see it that way.  Think the cops overreacted?  Think that Damurand is a filthy snitch?  Let the debate begin.