The man accused of calling in a report of a hostage situation on the Valparaiso University campus earlier this week was arrested as a result of an astute family member, prosecutors said Thursday.
Michael Clemens, 20, of Chesterton, Indiana was arrested and charged Wednesday with felony intimidation and felony false reporting causing an evacuation. The night earlier, prosecutors allege he placed a call claiming he had a gun and had taken hostages in the Christopher Center for Library and Information Services building on the south side of campus.
Police evacuated and searched the library but found nothing during a full sweep, police said. Normal campus operations resumed after about three hours.
Clemens' cousin, an officer with the Porter Police Department, overheard reports on police scanners indicating the caller had identified himself as Michael Commons, which was close to the name of his relative.
The officer checked with family members, who said Clemens should have been at the campus tutoring a computer lab at the time.
Police brought the officer in to listen to the call, and he positively identified the speaker as his cousin, the affidavit said.
In the call, the speaker shouts for another person to get away from him and "get the f— back," according to the affidavit. Three noises are heard before the speaker said, "I just shot someone," officials said.
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Clemens was questioned by police and ultimately admitted making the call, the affidavit said. He told officials he was in a bathroom stall in Gellerson Hall when he placed the call, and simulated the sound of gunshots by slapping the metal walls of the bathroom stall.
Clemens, a sophomore student at the university, was released after posting bond. His next court appearance was scheduled for April 29 in Valparaiso.
