Final exams conclude at HCC main campus after social media threat
HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Students at the Houston Community College central campus wrapped up their final examinations on Friday, no thanks to fellow student Luis Antonio Rivera. He's the reason these students learned an advanced lesson in life in the modern mass shooting world.
"It was crazy because we are some of the adult credit students and couldn't come to school," said Kennedy Haskett. "All our classes we cut off and we just had to sit there."
Sit there while law enforcement officers tracked down and arrested Rivera for issuing a threat on Facebook to shoot up the campus.
Rivera appeared before a judge on Friday morning and gave an odd little wave before learning what is next for him. He will be held on $20,000 bond after being charged with making a terroristic threat. While he was learning that, FOX 26 News was also learning about Rivera. He has no criminal record, works for his father painting lines in parking lots for $50 a day and lives with his mother and grandmother and some siblings.
"He is a high school graduate but he indicates to me he was in special ed," said his temporary defense attorney during his arraignment.
Rivera has some issues. Attorney Staci Biggars is not his lawyer but does defend others with mental challenges. She said that he'll most likely get a more permanent court-appointed attorney on Monday who might get his bond modified.
"It could make bond conditions and one condition could be for him to see a doctor or stay off social media or not have any handguns, could even have a monitor if it's that extreme," described Biggers. She said that if she was representing him, she would push for an immediate psychological evaluation.
Back on the HCC campus, the threat is over and so are the final exams.
"It's kind of concerning but graduation on Saturday," said an excited Kiante Phelps as she flashed a smile.
"It might have been scary and there's consequences for your actions, but he still deserves help if he needs it," added Haskett.