Twitter threats to Black Kean students made by Black alum/activist, police say

[951-Riverside]

Another Ashley Todd/Kerri Dunn/Charlie Rogers

A recent Kean graduate has been charged with being responsible for a series of tweets threatening black students at the school two weeks ago, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced Tuesday.

Kayla-Simone McKelvey, 24, of Union was charged by summons with third-degree creating a false public alarm.

Park said an investigation by the Union County Prosecutor's Office's Special Prosecutions Unit and Kean University police found that McKelvey, a self-proclaimed activist, participated in a student rally regarding racial issues on Nov. 17, but left midway through the rally and walked to a computer station in a university library.

Once there, McKelvey allegedly created an anonymous Twitter account – @keanuagainstblk – and began posting threats of violence against black Kean students.

The first message around 10 p.m. said "kean university twitter against blacks is for everyone who hates blacks people" and a tweet about there being a bomb on the campus, and then continued with several other tweets about shooting black students at the university.

i will kill every black male and female at kean university

— kean university (@keanuagainstblk) November 18, 2015

After making the posts, McKelvey immediately returned to the rally and attempted to spread awareness of the threats she allegedly had just fabricated, authorities said.

The university said approximately 100 students participated in a peaceful rally on campus that night with 10 students spending the night at the clock tower, "joining students across the nation to raise awareness of recent racial unrest at the University of Missouri and other college campuses."

That night on McKelvey's personal Twitter account she posted photos of the rally and screenshots of the tweets.

http://www.nj.com/union/index.ssf/2015/12/arrest_made_in_kean_twitter_threat.html#incart_river_home

[valerief]

1. I wonder who's paying her. nt

[hifiguy]

15. If so, she had to be willing to be bought.

[valerief]

17. I would think so. nt

[bunnies]

2. Theres *got* to be more to this.

It just doesnt make sense.

[Warren DeMontague]

5. It makes perfect sense.

This sort of shit happens all the time. Those of us who didn't grow up with social media, I think, underestimate the degree to which Millennials know how it can be manipulated.

[bunnies]

7. What would be the desired outcome though?

What was she going for? She had to know she'd get busted, right?

So glad we didnt have this when I grew up. Damn. It was hard enough as it was.

[Warren DeMontague]

10. Actually, I think what's unusual here is someone actually got busted for it.

There are "legitimate" threats, too, for sure- but I suspect this happens more than people think.

[bunnies]

20. Youre probably right.

I guess I just have a hard time processing it. As if theres not enough real racism? Ugh. I just cant.

[Lee-Lee]

6. People do this stuff all too often

It can be that they think it will bolster their cause ot gain sympathy for the cause- or more likely in this case bolster their own personal reputation or prestige.

She went right back to be the person who "discovered" the threats and spread the word. That put her at the center of attention and bolstered her social cred in the movement there. She had plenty to gain.

And of course she never considered that when she got caught she gave other's an excuse to not take similar threats seriously by saying "look, these protestors are sending fake threats these others are probably fake too" and did a lot of damage to the cause she wanted to bolster.

[bunnies]

9. Good points I hadnt considered.

Its sad, really. *smh*

[Warren DeMontague]

11. Remember backwards "B" girl?

[Lee-Lee]

25. Yep, same thing. It's usually less about the cause and more about the person who wants the attention

But not always.

Even though it's almost always an individual doing it for personal reasons whatever movement or group they were a part of takes the credibility hit.

[MosheFeingold]

8. Nah

Lots of people want conflict and commotion and are stupid idiots.

This trait crosses all racial, religious, and ethnic boundaries.

[Recursion]

26. Of course it does

It gave her a platform.

[jamzrockz]

3. False flag

its not only done by intelligence organizations. This is why I don't put too much stock on threats made by people on twitter.

[arcane1]

4. If true, that was a colossally counter-productive thing to do.

To put it mildly!

[romanic]

12. Isn't there a psychological name for this kind of crap?

Regardless this woman is a fucking idiot of the highest order. Way to spread fear for the cause.

[hifiguy]

16. Munchhausen's Syndrome or

Munchhausen's Syndrome by Proxy might be what you're thinking of.

[exboyfil]

27. They really need to up the charges

The protest group should really ask that the charges be increased.

[JustAnotherGen]

19. That reminds me of someone

But can't remember her name.

[bravenak]

21. Oh, I Know the one.

Called me some choice names, she did.

[JI7]

23. yup

[mythology]

24. This was a really dumb thing to do.

She goes into a school library and logs in on a school computer (likely with an account traceable to her) and does this? And is then the person who "discovers" the threats which if the Twitter name was new, I'm assuming didn't have a lot of followers or attention.

I'm assuming she wasn't on a VPN or using TOR. I would assume the school library probably has cameras on the entrances.

Just really dumb. I hope she learns something from this and if she is suffering from some sort of psychological issue, gets the help she would need.

I also hope that this doesn't deter a response when other actual threats are made.

[jonno99]

28. This is the ultimate selfish narcissistic act. Like false rape accusations, stories like this one

make it much more difficult for actual victims to be taken seriously.

Sadly, if you question the authenticity of a story on DU - you risk a hide:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141273000