Below is an updated list of arrests from people making threats via the social media app Yik Yak.
In a recent article Yik Yak really anonymous? we discussed the anonymity of Yik Yak, and lack of it. We concluded the article with it is anonymous for the most part, but don’t do anything stupid. Of course, people continue to do stupid things, which they will continue to be arrested for. We will keep this article updated with the latest Yik Yak arrests.
Yik Yak Arrests Timeline:
November 18, 2015 – Atchison, KS – An 18yr old female student was arrested for posting a threat at Benedictine College via Yik Yak. She was charged with felony aggravated criminal threat. – Live 5 News
November 18, 2015 – Marshall, MO – Saline County Prosecutor’s Office charged an 18-year-old Missouri Valley College student Thursday with making a terroristic threat. According to the article the threats were racist and read: “We should’ve have been wiser and tried to help you sloppy European (expletive deleted). A second response was posted that said, “But it’s a new age and I can write my ancestors wrong and just start killing y’all off.” A third response said, “Inform them (expletive deleted) idc there’s so much hate in my heart you will never understand.” – KOMU
November 11, 2015 – 2 students arrested for making racist threats at Univeristy of Missouri. – Telapost
November 3, 2015 – A Fresno State student was arrested for threatening to shoot a blonde female. The Yik Yak threat read “the time is here. @3PM I will release my frustrations. Tired of dirty looks, get rejected, nd being talked about bc how I dress. My choice of weapon M4 Carbine and I will take a headshot at a hot blonde”. The student was arrested for “making a criminal threat”. – Fresno Bee
November 3, 2015 – A threat was made at UNC Chapel Hill. The threat allegedly read: “Tomorrow at 949 am is a time you don’t want to be on campus.” – Daily Tarheel No arrest has yet been made…
May 18, 2015, Ossining, NY – A 16yr old Ossining High School student was arrested for a Yik Yak threat he made in September 2014. The teen was arrested with a felony. – lohud
April 29, 2015 Blacksburg, VA – A Virginia Tech senior was arrested after posting a threatening Yik Yak post warning of an upcoming event similar to the April 16, 2007 shooting. The VT student is currently facing a Class 1 misdemeanor charge of harassment by computer. – WSLS
April 29, 2015 Greenville, NC – An ECU student from Wake Forest was arrested within 4 hours of making a threat today in North Carolina. – WNCT
April 28, 2015 Hutchinson, KS – Police arrested a 19yr old Hutchinson Community College student for making threats against the school on Yik Yak. As of April 29 the police are trying to decide whether to press charges or not. – KAKE
April 27, 2015 Riverside, CA – A 29yr old from Canyon Crest Drive in Riverside was arrested for suspicion of making terrorist threats via Yik Yak towards UC Riverside on April 26, 2015. – CBS LA
April 21, 2015 Stillwater, OK – Oklahoma State Police Department arrested an 18yr old Oklahoma State University (OSU) student on a state charge of making a terrorism hoax, a felony charge carrying up to 10 years in prison. – O’Colly
March 2015: Arrests will be added shortly.
February 21, 2015 York, NE – An 18yr old York High School student was arrested for this one. – KLKN. A threat was made via Yik Yak on February 16, 2015. Search warrants have been issued. As of 2/20/2015 an arrest is near. – Omaha.com
February 19, 2015 Wray, CO – An “
February 13, 2015 Knoxville, IA – A 13 & 14yr old at Knoxville Middle School were both charged as juveniles with conspiracy to commit terrorism after making threats via Yik Yak at Knoxville Middle School. – WHOtv.com
January 23, 2015 Haverford PA – A 20yr old former Haverford High School student was arrested and charged in connection with a threat made to the school via Yik Yak on January 5, 2015. – NBC Philadelphia
January 22, 2015 Lakeville, MA – A 19-year-old Lakeville man was arrested after online threats were made via Yik Yak against Apponequet Regional High School. – WBSM
January 21, 2105 Waverly NY – A 19yr old Waverly man was arrested for posting threats on Yik Yak on December 3, 2014 at CCC that led to evacuation of Corning Community College’s dormitory. – Star Gazette
December 31, 2104 East Lyme, CT – An 18yr old was arrested for making threats at East Lyme High School using Yik Yak. – WTNH
December 23, 2014 Southington, CT – An 18yr old was arrested of posting threats against Southington High School. – WTNH
December 17, 2014 Ocean Springs, MS – An Ocean Springs High School student was arrested for making threats against the High School. – Gulflive.com
December 17, 2014 Charlotte, NC – A 22yr old man was arrested by Charlotte-Mecklenburg PD and charged with a misdemeanor of “anonymous threatening” for posting threats against a Providence High School. – WCNC
December 16, 2014 Cullman County, AL – A Good Hope High School student was arrested facing felony charges of making a terrorist-type threat. – WNCN
November 24, 2014 East Lansing, MI – A Michigan State University (MSU) student was arrested for making threats on Yik Yak. – State News
November 21, 2014 San Diego CA: A 16yr old girl was arrested for posting threats on Yik Yak at Canyon Crest Academy. – LA Times
In response to this students started a “think before you post” campaign. – Fox 5 San Diego
November 21, 2014 San Diego CA: A 17yr old boy was arrested for posting threats on Yik Yak at Torrey Pines High School. – The San Diego Union-Tribune
November 21, 2014 Pleasant Hill, IA: 3 students (2 16 and a 13yr old) were arrested by Pleasant Hill Police for making threats on Yik Yak against Southeast Polk Schools. – KCCI News
November 20, 2014 Chapel Hill NC: Since this one was near us, we covered it live here: Someone at UNC Chapel Hill posted a threat on Yik Yak. The suspect has been arrested as predicted.- ABC11
November 14,2014 Landrum, SC: A University of South Carolina (USC) freshman was arrested for posting a threat via Yik Yak. – GoUpstate.com
November 6, 2014 Albany NY: A University of Albany football player has been arrested for making a bomb threat against a school on the Yik Yak social app. – Albany Time Warner Cable News
November 6, 2014 Russellville, AL: A 16yr old Russellville High School student was arrested for making a bomb threat on Yik Yak. –AL.com
November 6, 2014: Franklin County, AL: A 17yr old Tharptown High School student was charged with making a bomb threat via Yik Yak, the second threat in Northwest Alabama in the same day. – WHNT
November 5, 2014: Duncan, OK – A 15yr old was arrested for making threats near Duncan High School via Yik Yak – KWSO
October 31, 2014 Daviess County, Washington: Police arrested a teenager for posting a bomb threat near Washington High School. The 18yr old was later identified and charged with one count of intimidation, a level 6 felony. – WBIW
October 29, 2014 New Richmond, OH: A New Richmond High School student was arrested after making a shooting threat on Yik Yak. He was also suspended. – Cincinnati.com
October 25, 2014 Canton NY: A 20yr old SUNY Canton student was charged with making threats against the school. He is facing up to 5 years in prison. – Syracuse.com
October 20, 2014 Latham NY: A 16yr old was arrested for making a threat on Yik Yak at a Shenendehowa High School. He was charged with Falsely Reporting an Incident in the Second degree, a felony.- WTEN
October 17, 2014 Des Moines IA: Today’s Yik Yak arrest is an 18yr old Drake University student who has been accused of making threats on the social media app and arrested for first-degree harassment. – KCCI
October 17, 2014 Walworth County, WI: A high school student was arrested for making threats on Yik Yak. The threats put the entire Delavan-Darien School District on lockdown.– WDJT
October 12, 2014 Tinton Falls, NJ: A 20-year-old Tinton Falls student at Penn State University admitted today to threatening to shoot up a university building via Yik Yak. – NJ.com
October 10, 2014 Brunswick County, NC: A South Brunswick High School student was arrested Friday in connection to making a false bomb threat to his school using the social media app- WECT
October 9, 2014 Bakersfield, CA: A 16yr old was arrested near Liberty High for making a threat via Yik Yak. – Bakersfield Californian
October 8, 2014 Sellersville PA: A 19yr old man was arrested by Pennridge Regional Police within hours of posting a threatening messages on Yik Yak near Pennridge High School. – The Morning Call
October 7, 2014 Chester, PA: A 20yr old freshman at Widener University was arrested after making a shooting threat on Yik Tak. Ironically the student was a criminal justice major. – CBS Philly
October 6, 2014 Sparkill, NY: A foreign exchange student at St. Thomas Aquinas College has been arrested and is accused of generating making a terrorist threat via Yik Yak. – Harlem Valley News
October 4, 2014 Townson, MD: An 18yr old Towson University student has been arrested after making a threat against the campus via Yik Yak. – Baltimore Sun
October 2, 2014 Hattiesburg, MS: The University of Southern Mississippi Police have arrested a second student in connection with a Yik Yak threat that happened at USM last week. – WJTV
September 26, 2014 Kearny, NE: Campus police at the University of Nebraska at Kearney have arrested a 19-year-old student in connection with threats posted on Yik Yak. – KETV7
September 25, 2014 Clewiston FL: A 17yr old was arrested for posting a threat on Yik Yak at Clewiston High School. – WINK News
September 25, 2014 Ludlow MA: An 18yr old man was arrested for posting threatening messages near a Ludlow High School on Yik Yak. Masslive
September 24, 2014 Wayne NJ: An 18yr old Pompton Lakes man was arrested for making a threat on yik yak at William Paterson University and North Haledon schools. NJ.com
September 23, 2104 Indianapolis, IN: Police issue warning against using Yik Yak for making threats. From the article: “Police can find out who you are. In most instances we will find out who you are and we will arrest you.” – FOX59
September 22, 2014 University, MS: A 20yr old USM/University of Mississippi student was arrested for yakking “The red will flow tomorrow in JGH. I recommend missing class.” See the story on WHLT22.
September 19, 2014 Terre Haute, IN: A 19yr old was arrested for making a school shooting threat on Yik Yak at ISU/Indiana State University. She was arrested on a preliminary charge of harassment. – FOX59
September 19, 2014 Athens, GA: A 19yr old UGA student is arrested for a threatening post he put on Yik Yak at University of Georgia. – Red and Black
September 16, 2014 Westchester County, NY: Yorktown High School teenager arrested after making threats against his Yorktown, LI high school via Yik Yak. – Yorktown Daily Voice
September 15, 2014 Long Island, NY: A Long Island student was arrested after posting about a school threat on Yik Yak. The teen has been charged with making terrorist threats against Mount Sinai High School. – NBC New York
March 14, 2014 Marblehead MA: A high school student was arrested for posting threats on Yik Yak at Marblehead High School. – Metro.us
February 21, 2014 Mobile, Alabama: A second juvenile, 14yrs old, arrested for threats at McGill-Toolen High School via Yik Yak. – Fox10TV
February 20, 2014 Mobile, Alabama: A 16yr old juvenile arrested for school threats on Yik Yak. Students and parents from McGill-Toolen High School were on alert Wednesday, February 19 after the rumor targeted the high school. By Friday the juvenile was in cuffs. – WKRG News
People are doing all sorts of crazy things on social media these days, even taking selfies with murder victims on snapchat.
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Very interesting breakdown of the arrests! It seems as if Yik Yak is emerging as one of the leading mediums for social media threats against schools. Given the fact that it’s anonymous makes matters even worse.
Did no one else see this happening with an anonymous app in which the “posts” disappear. I expect Secret, Yik Yak and all these other disappearing content apps to, well, disappear.