‘I'm Very Glad I Did it': Teen Who Reported University of Chicago Threat Speaks

A New York teenager explained how he helped the FBI foil an alleged shooting plot at the University of Chicago after reporting an online threat he saw against the institution.

The 16-year-old told NBC Chicago he noted a post on website www.worldstarhiphop.com and was so alarmed he contacted the FBI late Saturday night.

“The emotion and the words that he chose, I just thought wow I think this guy's pretty serious," the teen said.

Authorities said an email address linked to 21-year-old Jabari Dean was used to post the threat. A criminal complaint discusses it in detail:

"This is my only warning. At 10 a.m. on Monday morning, I'm going to the campus quad of the University of Chicago. I will be armed with an M-4 carbine and two desert eagles, all fully loaded. I will execute approximately 16 white male students and or staff, which is the same number of time McDonald was killed," wrote the commenter, who posted with the initials "JRD" and a Chicago Bulls logo, according to court records. "I will then die killing any number of white policeman in the process. This is not a joke. I am to do my part and rid the world of white devils. I expect you do the same."

Less than 24 hours later, the University of Chicago announced all of Monday’s classes and activities would be canceled.

“I thought to myself if I didn't do nothing what will happen on Monday if something really happens and I just stay with the guilt so I manned up and called the FBI,” the teen said.

The threat was posted only days after the city released a video of Officer Jason Van Dyke shooting Laquan McDonald 16 times.

"I'm telling you I know he's not a lone wolf that’s gonna shoot up schools and stuff,” said Dean’s uncle Phillip Rutherford. “He just happened to get on the interment for a few minutes for a few times and say something stupid and it cost him his life."

"I'm very glad I did it,” the teen said.

Dean is a first-year undergraduate student in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago, according to The Associated Press. Dean appeared in federal court Monday but didn't enter a plea, and his lawyer declined comment afterward.

The University of Chicago expects to resume normal university operations on Tuesday.

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