Students in the University of Cincinnati’s Dabney Hall spent the week on edge after police say a 22-year-old man posted violent threats on Snapchat that zeroed in on the dorm’s residents and sparked a flurry of safety calls to campus police.
Officers arrested Jason Lamar Dowdy and booked him into the Hamilton County Justice Center on charges that include inducing panic and obstructing official business. He was held overnight and scheduled to appear in court Friday.
According to an affidavit from a UC police detective, the trouble started on Feb. 3 after a group chat post about “looking for a ‘freaky girl’ at Dabney Hall.” Investigators say Dowdy responded with a string of messages, including one that read, “On my son I’ll get everybody in this group killed if it gets that serious.”
Court records state that when officers later moved in on an open warrant, Dowdy was ordered to lie on the ground so he could be handcuffed. Police say he then tried to get up, which is what led to the obstructing official business charge. Prosecutors say the case is built on an audio confession, witness statements and calls from students and parents, according to audio confession and parent calls.
What the charges mean
Under Ohio law, threats that set off public alarm are not treated lightly. The state’s inducing panic statute covers knowingly spreading threats or warnings of violence, and the penalties can climb when a school or university is involved. If a violation targets or involves an institution of higher education, prosecutors can seek a higher felony level under the statute.
The obstructing official business count stems from what police say happened during Dowdy’s arrest. The charge is usually a misdemeanor, but it can be bumped up if the conduct creates a risk of physical harm to others. The relevant provisions appear in the Ohio Revised Code on inducing panic and in the code’s section on obstructing official business.
Campus reaction and context
The Snapchat posts quickly kicked off a wave of calls to UC police, with Dabney Hall residents and worried parents lighting up the phone lines, according to court documents reviewed by audio confession and parent calls. Campus officials did not immediately offer a statement to the station.
Federal authorities have been warning for years that threats and hoaxes on social media can snowball fast and bring more than just campus police to the door. FBI Cincinnati has said online threats to schools are treated as serious business, and that agents routinely team up with local departments to sort out which ones are credible.
What’s next
Dowdy is set to appear in Hamilton County court Friday on the inducing panic and obstructing official business charges. Prosecutors say they are leaning on an audio confession, witness accounts and the contested social media posts that triggered the barrage of calls.
Formal charging documents and arraignment filings will determine whether a judge sets bond or sends the case to a higher court. University officials and police have declined to comment beyond what is laid out in the complaint. From here, the case moves through the local criminal system, and prosecutors will decide whether to push for felony charges tied to the campus setting.
