Ryan Chartrand
|
The threatening e-mails sent out to some Cal Poly students and faculty Tuesday morning were meant to be a Halloween prank, according to an apology letter sent to the Mustang Daily from the alleged author of the e-mails, computer engineering freshman Francisco Diaz.
Diaz, 18, wrote in the letter directed to the Mustang Daily that his intentions were to prank the person who left his/her e-mail account open at El Corral Bookstore, but that it became a “huge and scary” threat to public safety for students and faculty.
“It was an unconscious prank that became the biggest mistake of my life, which I am now repenting for causing the unthinkable panic, which was not my intention,” Diaz wrote.
“I hope that its (sic) not to (sic) late for your forgiveness and that it is not too late to try and leave this behind us as what it is: an immature prank because I have never done anything and will never do anything that would ever harm anybody.”
Diaz is reportedly no longer in San Luis Obispo County Jail after paying his $50,000 bail Wednesday. He was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of making criminal threats and unlawful access to a computer, police said.
Four different sources who preferred to remain anonymous forwarded the Mustang Daily what appears to be the e-mail Diaz allegedly sent:
“soon imma bring a knife and slit all of your necks. i hate this fucking school and you will all see come next class when you least expect it will go and mess you all up,” the e-mail said. “imma start virgnia tech all over again baby you dont deserve the life that you have all been given i hope that in the after life you rot.”
Three of the four e-mails had the subject line “goodbye” while a fourth was titled “fuck you all.”
Separate e-mails were sent to the parents and work of the account owner, meant to make the owner appear to be suicidal, said the account holder who prefers to remain anonymous.
“People need to realize that this guy had a lot of time on his hands,” the account owner said.
“It was not only an attack to the school, but to me, my family and my work as well.”
University Police Department Chief Bill Watton would not confirm nor deny the authenticity of the e-mail, but advised the Mustang Daily to not include the e-mail address the message was sent from since the owner of the account “was found to not be a player and was innocent in this case.”
Diaz allegedly sent the e-mail through another person’s e-mail account at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday. Police estimate between 30 to 50 people received the message and that the targets appear to be a random pool of students and faculty.
Officials arrested the owner of the e-mail address Tuesday afternoon, but discovered they hadn’t found the actual e-mail sender.
When journalism senior Brandy Scoggan received the e-mail Tuesday, she debated going to campus.
“I waited around for most of the day for Cal Poly to send something out, but I went to school anyway,” Scoggan said.
The first notice to Cal Poly students and faculty came at 3:50 p.m. Tuesday in a UPD warning about a suspicious person on campus and requesting any information about his whereabouts.
Scoggan was shocked by the content of the threatening e-mail and even called her mother for advice on what to do.
“It was a really graphic e-mail and the fact that he referenced Virginia Tech told me he means business,” Scoggan said. “That’s something you don’t just throw around and joke with.”
Diaz’s friends couldn’t believe that he had been arrested.
“I figured from the beginning when I heard about his apprehension that it was a harmless joke but (it) was more than that,” said electrical engineering freshman Favian Mora, who has known Diaz since high school, in an online message.
“He is a friendly guy who would never hurt anyone.”
Computer engineering freshman Matt Falco also knew Diaz and spent time with him away from class.
“I wouldn’t expect him to do such a thing,” Falco said, also in an online message to the Mustang Daily.
“He seemed like a respectable guy just like the rest of us. It was kind of a shock to see his picture in that campuswide e-mail that was sent around.”
Diaz attended Andrew P. Hill High School in San Jose.
“At this moment I am suffering thinking about how everyone may have took to hearth (sic) my motives for ever sending the emails and for acting without knowing the consequences of my actions,” Diaz wrote in his apology letter. “Please try to find it in you to forget this incident.”
Scoggan, however, doesn’t believe it was a prank and is still upset about Diaz’s alleged actions.
“We’re not here to deal with vicious threats,” Scoggan said. “You can’t just turn around afterward and say, ‘Oh, just kidding!'”
Police are still investigating the details and series of events of the supposed prank and will release more information soon, they said.
Authorities have still not verified where the e-mails were sent from, but security camera images and Diaz’s letter suggest El Corral Bookstore as the location.
Diaz was booked on suspicion of unlawful access to a computer and making criminal threats.
Students and faculty are asked to contact Cal Poly University Police at 756-2281 if they received the e-mail threats.
Jessica Ford contributed to this story.