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Teen Arrested For Tweeting Threats Against Marist College, Forcing Lockdown

POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- A City of Poughkeepsie teen was sent to Dutchess County Jail on Friday, accused of posting threatening messages on Twitter that resulted in a lockdown of the Marist College campus Friday morning.

A City of Poughkeepsie teenager was arrested Friday for "tweeting" two Internet threats against Marist College, according to Town of Poughkeepsie police.

A City of Poughkeepsie teenager was arrested Friday for "tweeting" two Internet threats against Marist College, according to Town of Poughkeepsie police.

Photo Credit: Jon Craig

Franklin Brink, 16, was arraigned by Town of Poughkeepsie Judge Stephan Krakower, who set bail at $50,000 cash and $75,000 bond on a felony charge of making a terroristic threat.

A Dutchess County public defender entered a not guilty plea for Brink.

Town of Poughkeepsie police, in a press statement, said Brink posted two menacing Internet tweets on his Twitter account within seven hours. The threats prompted Marist College to lock down its campus earlier Friday.

In the statement, police alleged that Brink's tweets threatened to commit an offense "which created a fear whereupon Marist College closed the campus for a period of time."

Police determined that Brink's threat "was not credible," and that he acted alone.

Marist's main campus in Poughkeepsie reopened by midday on Friday.

Police said Twitter assisted them in Friday's investigation. 

All Friday classes were canceled, and campus offices closed. However, non-academic events at Marist College will go on as planned Friday night and this weekend, officials said. Those events include Friday night's home opener in men's basketball against Holy Cross, which was not postponed once Brink was in custody.

Marist College reported two separate Twitter threats were made from a single account.

Due to the specific nature of this threat, the campus was closed for the investigation, according to a post on the Marist College's website.

Alerts were sent to students, faculty and staff early Friday, canceling classes and closing all academic buildings.

Employees and students were advised against coming to campus, and all Marist College residents were told to remain inside their dormitories.

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