A threat that sparked a lockdown Tuesday evening at East Mississippi Community College’s Golden Triangle in Mayhew has since resulted in two arrests.
Sheriff’s investigators are still working to determine if there is any connection between the two suspects.
Ethan Vick, 18, is charged with making terroristic threats, a felony. Michael Frierson, 23, is charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both suspects are from West Point.
At about 5 p.m. Tuesday, EMCC police notified the sheriff’s office of a threat it received through the campus Chatbot system, a messaging platform designed to assist students with questions related to classes and campus life. The threatening message, later traced to a phone belonging to Vick, who is a student, read, “I’m coming to shoot up the school,” according to a sheriff’s office press release.
Deputies responded to the campus to assist with securing the area. While en route, they saw a man they later identified as Frierson walking along South Frontage Road toward EMCC. He was wearing a ski mask and carrying a bookbag.
When deputies approached Frierson, they found he had two handguns, six loaded magazines, two additional ski masks, several pairs of gloves, a change of clothes, marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Sheriff Eddie Hawkins told The Dispatch that Frierson confirmed to deputies he was headed to the EMCC campus. Frierson was arrested Tuesday.
Through further investigation, deputies traced the threatening message to Vick, who then admitted to sending it. He was arrested Wednesday, the press release said.
“This was a dangerous situation that could have had tragic consequences, “ Hawkins said in the press release. “Thanks to the quick actions of EMCC Campus Police and our deputies, we were able to intervene before any harm came to students, faculty or staff.”
EMCC sent a mass text at 5:38 p.m. Tuesday announcing the lockdown on campus. Communications Director Michael Lee Stewart told The Dispatch the lockdown was lifted at about 6:45.
Both Vick and Frierson were still in Lowndes County Adult Detention Center as of Wednesday afternoon.
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You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
