Police charge Student Senate commissioner with making false alarms after she claimed she received homophobic death threats

Police charge Student Senate commissioner with making false alarms after she claimed she received homophobic death threats

The Ohio University Police Department charged SAC Commissioner Anna Ayers with three counts of false alarms.

After claims she received death threats targeting her identity as a member of the LGBT community, SAC Commissioner Anna Ayers was charged with sending the threats to herself.

Student Senate SAC Commissioner Anna Ayers was charged with three counts of making false alarms after she claimed she was sent homophobic death threats to her Student Senate office and residence, the Ohio University Police Department tweeted Monday evening.

Please see the attached statement regarding charges filed in the recent case of threats made against a member of Student Senate. Since this is a pending criminal case, the police department cannot comment further at this time. pic.twitter.com/ecXABYY5MO — OhioUniversityPolice (@oupolice) October 8, 2018

“Subsequent investigation by OUPD found that Ayers had placed the messages herself, prior to reporting them,” the tweet said.

“Making false alarms is a first degree misdemeanor, carrying a maximum penalty of 6 months in jail and a $1000 fine,” OUPD added.

In a statement to The New Political, Student Senate President Maddie Sloat said she had a hard time putting her feelings into words.

“We are still processing and encouraging our members to take time to heal and utilize campus support resources right now,” Sloat said. “We’re complying with the investigation and OUPD. We hope Anna receives the help that she needs.”

The threats were discussed last Wednesday at Student Senate’s weekly general body meeting. All previously-planned discussion was halted to discuss the alleged threats.

“I have no interest in hearing from any of you that you are sorry that this happened, or that you can’t believe it happened at all,” Ayers said at last week’s meeting. “Instead, I want each of you to do everything you can make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Ayers received an outpouring of support from students and faculty at Ohio U.

Ayers thanked her supporters on Twitter.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to and supported me this week! And extra gratitude to @madfox16 @LydiaRamlo @imhnb @JennyHallJones who have been by my side every step of the way during a pretty awful time in my life. #BobcatLove>Hate pic.twitter.com/KTDVe9uUzu — Anna Ayers (@AnnaCAyers) October 6, 2018

In response to Ayers’ claims, the Student Senate body planned to end the practice of leaving their Baker Center office open. The body discussed plans to add a mechanism to swipe IDs to enter, a practice similar to that in most of Ohio U’s residence halls.

The New Political reached out to Ayers for comment, but has not yet heard back.

Ayers is scheduled to appear in Athens County Municipal Court on Thursday.

Update 10/11/2018: Ayers’ lawyer filed for a continuance with the court Thursday and Ayers is now scheduled to appear Oct. 25.