Student Arrested On Washington Campus After Racial Threats

Whatcom County Court Commissioner Martha Gross on Tuesday found probable cause to hold Tysen Campbell, 19, for investigation of first-degree malicious harassment, the state’s hate crime statute.

University officials say the sophomore who was a pole vaulter on the WWU track team has been suspended and banned from campus pending the outcome of legal proceedings and the university’s student conduct process.

Campbell made a threat on the anonymous social media site Yik Yak, according to police, who continue to investigate other online messages targeting black students and other racial minorities. WWU has declined to release further information on the case.

Concidine was shocked by the news, describing Campbell as respectful and a great student and athlete who has a group of good-natured friends.

At a campus forum on Monday, college faculty, staff and students met to talk about a wider problem of racism on campus.

On Western’s campus Tuesday, the library windows showed a message supporting students of color that said “Black Lives Matter”. “I’m upset that Western let it get to this point”, said Lulu Sapigao, adding that students have been saying for a long time that they don’t feel safe on campus.

Protests have since spread to hundreds of other campuses, including the University of Washington.

“Frankly, I’m exhausted. This isn’t an “if” but “when they come after you” situation”.

A man was arrested Monday for threatening to execute people at the University of Chicago and die “killing any number of white policeman I can”, threats that led university leaders to cancel classes at the prestigious university.

Monday was the first day of regular classes after the incident, and the meeting, attended by more than 300 and live-streamed online, was the first in what administrators say will be a series of meetings and discussions on racism at Western.

The arrest comes amid heightened tensions on US colleges over allegations of racism on campus as well as violent threats made against black students. That article stated some students, including Ramos, had discussed the idea of changing the school mascot from a Viking to a more inclusive figure.

“There is no quick pill to fix racism; it’s a long, arduous battle”, said Larry Estrada, associate professor at Western’s Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies.

The university then notified students, faculty, and staff that Campbell was under arrest.