TRIPwire, 05 June 2018

On 31 May 2018, an individual entered a classroom at the University of Washington, and played a recorded bomb threat referencing C-4 and stated that a countdown was underway. The classroom was evacuated and the suspect was arrested. The suspect told authorities that the threat was a prank associated with a video stream on an online service and that one of his viewers had paid him to play the threat via a text-to-speech computer system.  An eyewitness reported that the suspect had a large backpack, a cell phone, and electronics embedded in his jacket.  However, authorities determined that no actual improvised explosive device was present.  The suspect was charged with making a bomb threat.