Utah Police Stop Potential Campus Shooting with 3D-Printed Gun

Utah Police Stop Potential Campus Shooting with 3D-Printed Gun

A man faces a criminal charge after police say he threatened to commit a mass shooting at a school using a 3D-printed gun.

  • Aug 30, 2018

A South Jordan, Utah man faces a criminal charge after police say he threatened to commit a mass shooting at a small South Salt Lake school using a gun made from a 3D printer.

Austin James David West, 23, was charged Aug. 9 in South Salt Lake Justice Court with making a threat of violence, a class B misdemeanor. On Aug. 8, West was arrested at his home after he talked with another student "about using a gun to shoot students at Broadview University," according to a Salt Lake County Jail report.

"The statements were forwarded to the university which caused the university dean to be fearful that a school shooting was actually going to take place. An email had to be sent to faculty and students warning them of the threat of a shooting at the school. The school chose to remain open," according to the report.

Broadview Entertainment Arts University is located at 240 E. and 2430 South.

West sent several texts to another student he has known for several years, stating that he would commit a shooting that “people would be talking about.”

"The text messages sent by the suspect reference killing people with a 3D printed gun so the gun could not be traced back to him.

The messages were allegedly sent on Aug. 7 between 7 and 11 p.m. The other student forwarded the messages to a school professor at 11:20 p.m.

The other student believed Austin could be capable of committing a mass casualty type event such as a school shooting, and told police that West had been "verbally aggressive" in the past. He also was fearful of his demeanor.

Police served a warrant at West's South Jordan home Aug. 8 where he lives with his parents and seized a 3D printer. His next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 26.

On Monday, a Seattle federal judge approved a motion to block a Texas man from releasing blueprints that could be downloaded online for 3D-printed guns.

Featured

  • It Always Rains in Florida

    Over the years, and many trips to various cities, I have experienced some of the craziest memorable things. One thing I always count on when going to Orlando is a massive rainstorm after the tradeshow has concluded the first day. Count on it, it is going to rain Monday evening. Expect that it will be a gully washer. Read Now

    • Industry Events

  • Live from GSX 2024 Preview

    It’s hard to believe, but GSX 2024 is almost here. This year’s show runs from Monday, September 23 to Wednesday, September 25 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The Campus Security Today and Security Today staff will be on hand to provide live updates about the security industry’s latest innovations, trends, and products. Whether you’re attending the show or keeping tabs on it from afar, we’ve got you covered. Make sure to follow the Live from GSX page for photos, videos, interviews, product demonstrations, announcements, commentary, and more from the heart of the show floor! Read Now

    • Industry Events

  • Elevate Your Business

    In today’s dynamic business environment, companies specializing in physical security are constantly evolving to remain competitive. One strategic shift these businesses can make to give them the advantage is a full or partial transition to a recurring revenue model, popularly called a subscription service. This approach will bring numerous benefits that not only enhance business stability but also improve customer relationships and drive innovation. Recurring monthly revenue (RMR) or recurring annual revenue (RAR) are two recurring cadence choices that work simply and effectively. Read Now

  • Playing a Crucial Role

    Physical security technology plays a crucial role in detecting and preventing insider cybersecurity threats. While it might seem like a stretch to connect physical security with cyber threats, the two are closely intertwined. Here’s how physical security technology can be leveraged to address both external and internal threats. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • FEP GameChanger

    FEP GameChanger

    Paige Datacom Solutions Introduces Important and Innovative Cabling Products GameChanger Cable, a proven and patented solution that significantly exceeds the reach of traditional category cable will now have a FEP/FEP construction. 3

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.” 3

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3