Chesterton Tribune

 

 

Suspect in VU hoax was IDed by Porter officer

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Michael Clemens, the VU student and Chesterton resident accused of perpetrating a hostage hoax on the campus of Valparaiso University on Tuesday, was first identified as a suspect by his cousin, a Porter Police officer who was on duty at the time and overheard scanner traffic.

That, according to the probable cause affidavit filed after deadline on Thursday by Capt. Jeff Balon of the Valparaiso Police Department.

Also revealed by Balon: the man later identifed as Clemens spoke to a dispatcher for at least 25 minutes, during which time the caller pretended to shoot someone.

Clemens, 20, of 810 W. Porter Ave., has been charged with intimidation and false informing, both Level 6 felonies punishable by a term of six to 30 months.

The incident began at 7:04 p.m. Tuesday when a man called the non-emergency business number at the VPD station. It was after hours and so that call was automatically transferred to the Porter County 911 Dispatch Center. On being connected to a dispatcher, the caller said that he taken at least two hostages in the Christopher Center for Library and Information Services and had access to an explosive.

The Porter County SWAT Team subsequently cleared the Christopher Center and found no injured person and no suspect.

Meanwhile, PPD Officer Dan Dickey, a cousin of Clemens, overhead scanner traffic concerning the incident while on duty and took note of the fact that the caller had apparently given the name “Michael Commons,” close enough to his own cousin’s name to give him pause, Balon said in his affidavit.

Dickey, also knowing that his cousin attends VU and aware that he “suffers from depression,” contacted the VPD to advise investigators that “he did not feel these actions would be outside the realm of possibility for Clemens,” Balon stated.

Arrangements were made for Dickey to listen to the tape of the call and, after hearing between 20 and 25 minutes of it, Dickey became “certain the caller and Clemens were the same person.” Dickey “pointed out that he knows his cousin very well and has had many conversations with him,” Balon stated.

Clemens was later located at Gellersen Hall, taken into custody, and transported to the VPD station, where Balon interviewed him.

Clemens initially “denied having any direct involvement in this case,” Balon stated, although he did say that he first heard of a hostage situation at 7 p.m.--four minutes before the call was actually made. “However, he very quickly changed that time to 8 p.m.”

“Eventually,” though, Clemens “admitted to being the male subject who placed the telephone call,” Balon stated.

“He confirmed that during the call he falsely reported he had taken hostages, shot at least one person, and relayed information referring to a bomb,” Balon stated. “He also admitted to acting out on his frustrations.” “He further explained that he had looked up the non-emergency telephone number to VPD, blocked his caller ID, and placed the call from his cell phone,” Balon stated.

Clemens made that call from a restroom stall in Gellersen Hall, Balon also stated. “During the telephone call, he simulated the sound of gunshots, then said he had shot someone. When asked how he simulated the sound of gunfire, he said he slapped the metal walls of the bathroom stall to make it sound like he had fired a weapon.”

Clemens was released from the Porter County Jail after posting a $1,000 cash bond.

The law-enforcement response to Tuesday’s hoax was “massive,” as PCSP Sgt. Larry LaFlower described it at the time, and involved more than 50 officers and agents from federal, state, and local agencies.

 

 

 

 

Posted 4/24/2015

 
 

 

 

 

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