An Indiana teen was arrested Thursday after police say he posted Facebook messages threatening to go on a rampage.
Eric Rizley, 19, was charged with intimidation after he allegedly posted violent messages on the social media site.
Rizley reportedly posted a statement saying “Watch out portage people might be dying soon,” and “No seriously imma go on a rampage.”
Police were made aware of the threats, and Rizley was brought into custody.
When asked why he posted the messages, Rizley said he had no intention of carrying out the threats and couldn’t explain why he didn’t stop when his mother asked him to.
“Social Media is a great medium for expressing ideas these days, but it can also be used to incriminate oneself,” says Illinois lawyer Sean Sullivan. “As a criminal defense attorney, I have seen that the rules of evidence in the court system are shifting to allow social media posts to be admissible. People should be careful of what they put out there. Do not post something that may incriminate you later.”
Illinois Criminal & Civil Defense Blog 