BISMARCK -- It's unlikely federal charges will be filed against the 16-year-old suspect who law enforcement say sent a threatening tweet in January that led to a four-hour lockdown at Bismarck State College in January, according to the FBI.
Kyle Loven, spokesperson for the FBI's Minneapolis division, said Thursday that law enforcement has resolved the matter to the FBI's satisfaction. He said the FBI does not anticipate any charges will be filed.
Loven declined to offer more information about the 16-year-old suspect.
BSC President Larry Skogen issued a statement Thursday regarding the development.
"We were told that should the federal agents not pursue charges, it would be up to the state agencies," he said. Burleigh County State's Attorney Richard Riha said the U.S. Attorney's Office can choose to send the case to his office for possible charges if it does not plan to charge the suspect. He said he has not received anything yet from the federal office.
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Law enforcement says a tweet from the suspect's phone indicated he planned to shoot up a school library. The FBI traced the phone to the BSC campus and searched each building looking for a suspect.
The suspect was apprehended that afternoon headed north on U.S. Highway 83 on a school bus from the Minot area, according to North Dakota Highway Patrol.
