Police: Holy Cross student praised Colorado shooter
JUDGE SETS BAIL AT $100K
WORCESTER — A College of the Holy Cross student who threatened on social media to use an arsenal of guns and grenades inside a movie theatre is being held on $100,000 cash bail, following his arraignment today on four counts of threatening to commit a crime.
Gregory Hamalian, 21, of 79 Crescent St., West Bridgewater, a member of the Holy Cross track team, was arraigned in Central District Court today on four counts of threatening to commit a crime and one count of making a bomb/hijack threat.
The Holy Cross junior allegedly threatened to attack a screening of “The Hobbit” and allegedly wrote on social media sites that he admired the man who shot up a Colorado movie theater.
“I’ve been planning this ever since my hero, James Holmes, shot up that theatre in CO,” Mr. Hamalian allegedly posted on a social networking web site. “Tonight I’m going to my local theatre for a midnight premier of The Hobbit and shooting the (expletive) out of everyone there.”
Citing recent events — although not specifically mentioning the shootings in Newtown, Conn. — Assistant District Attorney Marc W. Dupuis asked Judge David B. Locke to set high bail for Mr. Hamalian. The judge set bail at $100,000, and Mr. Hamalian was escorted from the courtroom in handcuffs.
Mr. Hamalian’s father, Richard, was in Central District Court for the proceedings. When bail was set, the elder Mr. Hamalian shut his eyes in apparent disbelief. He had put forth the $10,000 cash bail required when his son was held at the state police barracks in Holden after the Friday night arrest. Mr. Hamalian’s father and lawyer had no comment after the arraignment.
Colorado is in reference to James Holmes, a man charged with the July 20 deadly shooting inside an Aurora movie theater.
State police learned of the postings after a woman called the Bellingham Police Department on Dec. 13 around 11 p.m. She told police about the threat and said it was posted on Facebook. The original post was on a website called www.4chan.org, a state police statement on file in court said.
State police eventually found Mr. Hamalian at Holy Cross, the statement said.
In the posting officials said was created by Mr. Hamalian, he allegedly bragged to have several automatic weapons, a couple of .45 caliber handguns and smoke and flash grenades.
“So this is my warning to everyone,” Mr. Hamalian allegedly wrote. “I will be at theatres in Massachusetts, but I won’t reveal where because I want my plan to come to fruition.”
No weapons were found, according to authorities.
The FBI tracked other messages allegedly written by Mr. Hamalian where he talks about killing people at a theater.
The posts on www.4chan.org are:
“I’m going to go down swinging. Shoot FBI and die at the end of it all.”
“Nope, just not getting taken alive.”
“Between 1:15 and 1:18. I wanna see most of the movie.”
“Probably the screams of the innocent.”
“You’re good. Sit in the front row. I won’t kill anyone in the front now, so all my /b/ friends will live.”
“It’ll be the biggest shooting in US history, therefore everything will be compared to it. I have few talents, this is my way to be immortalized.”
Bellingham Police contacted state police assigned to the Worcester District Attorney’s office on Dec. 13. The state’s Fusion Center, which provides information to law enforcement and safety agencies about terrorism and public safety threats, was aware of an anonymous threat of someone who appeared to attend a Dec. 14 midnight premiere of “The Hobbit,” the court statement said.
It appeared the threat was widely circulated among the Internet and reposted on several messages boards on social media web sites.
State police requested the Internet Protocol address involved in the posts from www.4chan.org and learned the address was coming from Holy Cross, the statement said.
Holy Cross officials were able to track the address to one of the dorm rooms and Mr. Hamalian’s room. State police investigators spoke to Mr. Hamalian’s roommate. The roommate said he doesn’t use the www.4chan.org web site, but said Mr. Hamalian was a regular user, the court statement said.
Mr. Hamalian allegedly asked his roommate if he wanted to attend a midnight premiere of “The Hobbit.” State police found Mr. Hamalian when he returned from track practice. His laptop and iPhone was seized.
Mr. Hamalian allegedly waived his rights and spoke with investigators.
“In essence, Hamalian made admissions that he was the sole person responsible for making the post to 4chan.org threatening to shoot moviegoers at a premiere of the movie ‘The Hobbit,’” the state police statement said.
Source: http://www.telegram.com/article/20121217/NEWS/121219646/1116
JUDGE SETS BAIL AT $100K
WORCESTER — A College of the Holy Cross student who threatened on social media to use an arsenal of guns and grenades inside a movie theatre is being held on $100,000 cash bail, following his arraignment today on four counts of threatening to commit a crime.
Gregory Hamalian, 21, of 79 Crescent St., West Bridgewater, a member of the Holy Cross track team, was arraigned in Central District Court today on four counts of threatening to commit a crime and one count of making a bomb/hijack threat.
The Holy Cross junior allegedly threatened to attack a screening of “The Hobbit” and allegedly wrote on social media sites that he admired the man who shot up a Colorado movie theater.
“I’ve been planning this ever since my hero, James Holmes, shot up that theatre in CO,” Mr. Hamalian allegedly posted on a social networking web site. “Tonight I’m going to my local theatre for a midnight premier of The Hobbit and shooting the (expletive) out of everyone there.”
Citing recent events — although not specifically mentioning the shootings in Newtown, Conn. — Assistant District Attorney Marc W. Dupuis asked Judge David B. Locke to set high bail for Mr. Hamalian. The judge set bail at $100,000, and Mr. Hamalian was escorted from the courtroom in handcuffs.
Mr. Hamalian’s father, Richard, was in Central District Court for the proceedings. When bail was set, the elder Mr. Hamalian shut his eyes in apparent disbelief. He had put forth the $10,000 cash bail required when his son was held at the state police barracks in Holden after the Friday night arrest. Mr. Hamalian’s father and lawyer had no comment after the arraignment.
Colorado is in reference to James Holmes, a man charged with the July 20 deadly shooting inside an Aurora movie theater.
State police learned of the postings after a woman called the Bellingham Police Department on Dec. 13 around 11 p.m. She told police about the threat and said it was posted on Facebook. The original post was on a website called www.4chan.org, a state police statement on file in court said.
State police eventually found Mr. Hamalian at Holy Cross, the statement said.
In the posting officials said was created by Mr. Hamalian, he allegedly bragged to have several automatic weapons, a couple of .45 caliber handguns and smoke and flash grenades.
“So this is my warning to everyone,” Mr. Hamalian allegedly wrote. “I will be at theatres in Massachusetts, but I won’t reveal where because I want my plan to come to fruition.”
No weapons were found, according to authorities.
The FBI tracked other messages allegedly written by Mr. Hamalian where he talks about killing people at a theater.
The posts on www.4chan.org are:
“I’m going to go down swinging. Shoot FBI and die at the end of it all.”
“Nope, just not getting taken alive.”
“Between 1:15 and 1:18. I wanna see most of the movie.”
“Probably the screams of the innocent.”
“You’re good. Sit in the front row. I won’t kill anyone in the front now, so all my /b/ friends will live.”
“It’ll be the biggest shooting in US history, therefore everything will be compared to it. I have few talents, this is my way to be immortalized.”
Bellingham Police contacted state police assigned to the Worcester District Attorney’s office on Dec. 13. The state’s Fusion Center, which provides information to law enforcement and safety agencies about terrorism and public safety threats, was aware of an anonymous threat of someone who appeared to attend a Dec. 14 midnight premiere of “The Hobbit,” the court statement said.
It appeared the threat was widely circulated among the Internet and reposted on several messages boards on social media web sites.
State police requested the Internet Protocol address involved in the posts from www.4chan.org and learned the address was coming from Holy Cross, the statement said.
Holy Cross officials were able to track the address to one of the dorm rooms and Mr. Hamalian’s room. State police investigators spoke to Mr. Hamalian’s roommate. The roommate said he doesn’t use the www.4chan.org web site, but said Mr. Hamalian was a regular user, the court statement said.
Mr. Hamalian allegedly asked his roommate if he wanted to attend a midnight premiere of “The Hobbit.” State police found Mr. Hamalian when he returned from track practice. His laptop and iPhone was seized.
Mr. Hamalian allegedly waived his rights and spoke with investigators.
“In essence, Hamalian made admissions that he was the sole person responsible for making the post to 4chan.org threatening to shoot moviegoers at a premiere of the movie ‘The Hobbit,’” the state police statement said.
Source: http://www.telegram.com/article/20121217/NEWS/121219646/1116