University of Memphis police arrested sophomore Carlos Coleman on Monday for phoning in a bomb threat to Richardson Towers last week.
According to Officer Steven Means, who director of public safety Roger Fowler credited with making the arrest, Coleman called Richardson Towers South at 2 p.m. March 27. He told the desk attendant that there was a bomb on the fifth floor.
Officers and resident assistants were called to the scene. They did a walk-through of the fifth floor, looking for suspicious objects or packages, but nothing was found.
Officer Means requested a phone log from telecommunication services and was able to pinpoint the number that the bomb threat originated from. It was a cell phone number.
"Telecommunications is always very helpful and has assisted us in a number of cases," Means said.
The next day, Officer Means called the cell phone number and Coleman answered the phone. Means told Coleman someone had just called him from the number, and began asking him questions. He found out that his name was Carlos. Coleman began to get suspicious and Means ended the conversation.
The following day, Means called Coleman's number again and identified himself as a campus police officer investigating a bomb threat made from that number.
At first Coleman said that someone else had been using the phone, but later made an appointment to meet with Officer Means the next day.
"I explained to him the seriousness of the situation and what the law states about bomb threats," Means said.
Coleman gave a statement admitting to making the call, was charged with a Class E felony and was taken downtown.
Coleman explained that he was friends with the wpman working at the desk, and the call was intended as a prank, Means said. He had intended to let her know it was a joke, but the police had already arrived at the scene.
"Means did a great job investigating, and we greatly appreciate telecommunications services," Fowler said.
Soon all dorm front desks and eventually all dorm rooms will be installed with caller ID units, Means said.
The U of M doesn't get a lot of bomb threats, Fowler said. But the caller ID units will help campus safety crack down on all threatening calls.
