AUBURN — Central Maine Community College added security personnel Tuesday after police say a Bowdoinham man threatened to “shoot up” the college.
Deputies from the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office arrested Darren Lilly, 23, at his Feldspar Lane home Monday. He was charged with terrorizing, a Class C felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
CMCC President Scott Knapp said Lilly had been admitted to CMCC for the fall semester.
“Obviously, we’re revoking that admission,” he said.
He said he had no idea why Lilly might have wanted to threaten the community college.
Lilly’s arrest stems from information the deputies got that Lilly “was in possession of numerous firearms and had made threats to shoot up Central Maine Community College in Auburn,” according to the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office. “The threats were reported by people familiar with Lilly.”
Deputies seized Lilly’s weapons. He posted $1,000 unsecured bond and was released with conditions that he not possess firearms. He is also barred from entering Auburn.
“We have been in contact with the Auburn Police Department and Central Maine Community College administration,” Sagadahoc County Sheriff Joel Merry said.
“Our agency has notified the Sagadahoc County District Attorney’s Office and we have been consulting with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms because one of the weapons, a sawed-off shotgun, may be illegal to possess.”
Knapp said Auburn police told the college about Lilly’s threats and arrest Tuesday morning. CMCC quickly activated its emergency notification system, alerting faculty, staff and students about the threat via personal phones, campus phones, text, email and campus computers.
A separate email also went out to faculty and staff with a photo of Lilly attached.
The college has also paid for additional police protection from the Auburn Police Department.
CMCC remains open and its summer classes are operating on schedule.
Knapp said CMCC has not been the focus of a threat in his 21 years as president.
“This is a first for me,” he said.
Sun Journal Staff Writer Lindsay Tice contributed to this story.
Police said this instrument case containing a gun was confiscated during their investigation of Darren Lilly, 23, of Bowdoinham. Lilly is charged with threatening to “shoot up” Central Maine Community College in Auburn. (Photo courtesy Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Department)
An instrument case containing a gun connected to the arrest of Darren Lilly for threatening to shoot up Central Maine Community College in Auburn. (Photo courtesy Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Department)
Darren Lilly (Photo courtesy Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Department)
An instrument case containing a gun was confiscated by police during an investigation of Darren Lilly, 23, of Bowdoinham. Lilly is charged with threatening to “shoot up” Central Maine Community College in Auburn. (Photo courtesy Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Department)
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