John Brown student accused of possessing explosive devices

 Timothy Constantin
Timothy Constantin

BENTONVILLE -- A student at John Brown University was arrested Tuesday in connection with making references to committing a mass shooting or bombing.

Timothy Constantin, 20, Gainesville, Fla., was being held Tuesday in the Benton County Jail with no bond set. He was arrested in connection with criminal possession of explosives.

Siloam Springs police officers in coordination with John Brown University Campus Safety called Nov. 14 to J. Alvin Brown Hall on the campus, according to a news release from the Siloam Springs Police Department.

The call was in reference to a suicidal person who had made comments about committing a mass shooting or bombing, according to the release.

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Police officers and campus safety spoke with Constantin in his dorm room. Campus safety staff were told Constantin had firearms. After a search, police found firearms and ammunition, according to the press release.

An AK-47 rifle missing the butt stock and Keltech 9mm carbine gun was found in a gray tote bag in the room, according to the probable cause affidavit. Numerous magazines for both weapons, numerous knives and a machete were also found in the room, according to the affidavit.

A suicide note was also found mentioning Constantin wanted to commit a mass shooting or bombing because of his hatred for society, according to the affidavit.

During interviews witnesses said Constantine had been constructing explosive devices and igniting them at a location off campus, according to the release.

Constantin later admitted to constructing explosive devices.

No material for explosives were found during the search of his room.

Julie Gumm, JBU's director of University Communications, said police and campus safety learned Constantin wasn't working with anyone else determined there was no ongoing security risk.

"While the student indicated thoughts of harm to himself and potentially to others, to the best of our knowledge there was not a specific plan to carry out any type of campus attack nor was there a specific person targeted," Gumm said. "If Campus Safety or the Siloam Springs Police determined there was immediate risk to the campus, we would have alerted campus through our crisis alert system."

According to the affidavit, Constantin said the primary reason he wanted to kill himself was to prevent him from "doing something stupid and killing other people."

Constantin said he never intended to use the firearms for malicious purposes and had them for protection. Constantin said if he wanted to do a mass killing, he would use explosive devices because they are easy to conceal, easy to synchronize, inflict mass chaos and mass damage, according to the affidavit.

Prosecutors haven't filed a formal charge against Constantin. His arraignment is scheduled for 8 a.m. Jan. 2 in Circuit Judge Robin Green's court.

NW News on 11/22/2017

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