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MTSU Students Face Scary Situation

Suspicious Box Found Outside Classroom Building

POSTED: 5:37 pm CDT October 15, 2008
UPDATED: 9:14 am CST November 19, 2008

A week after Middle Tennessee State University canceled classes because of an e-mail threat and small fires in a dorm, students returned only to be faced with another scary situation.

Video: Suspicious Box Evacuates MTSU Hall

A suspicious box was found outside of a classroom building, which forced campus officials to cancel some classes again.

"I'm more worried about my safety than anything. I just want to feel safe, but with all of this stuff going on, it's hard to feel safe," said Jessica Peterson, MTSU student.

Students received an e-mail about the suspicious package, urging them to evacuate the area around Peck Hall immediately. It turns out the box only had paper towels in it.

"It turned out that there was nothing the box that would threaten anyone, no health hazard or any other criminal activity," said Chief Buddy Peaster, MTSU Police.

Last week, police arrest MTSU student Justin Davis for sending what was considered threatening e-mails. It was learned on Wednesday that it was a roll of toilet paper and a personal towel that Davis allegedly set on fire in Lyon Hall.

Davis' attorney Lynda F. Jones said, "Justin was a polite young man who comes from a nice and respectable family and has never been in trouble. "A former high school track athlete and a student with a current 3.5 GPA, wouldn't just wake up one day and try to burn down his dorm room."

The attorney believes he may have some type of undiagnosed mental illness.

Some people have been concerned that campus police are over reacting. But Peaster said it is better to be safe and take all possible threats seriously.

"While we're grateful it turned out not to be a danger, it's a good sign that people are willing to let us know things that are going on," said Peaster.

Davis' attorney said that he volunteers at his church, leading a Friday night service for a youth group.

Davis will undergo a mental evaluation within the next two weeks to see if he's competent enough to stand trial.


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