UIC Student Arrested for Vengeful 'White Devils' Murder Threat at University of Chicago

A UIC student was arrested by the FBI in connection with the threat that shut down the University of Chicago campus. The student posted a threat online to kill 16 white men in retaliation for the death of Laquan McDonald, who was shot 16 times by a Chicago police officer.

Jabari R. Dean, 21, charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce, appeared in federal court on Monday afternoon.

His uncle, Phillip Rutherford, told reporters at the federal courthouse that Dean is a “cream puff” and “a wonderful kid” who “said something stupid to be provocative” and would not be capable of carrying out the threat.

The University of Illinois at Chicago released this statement Monday about the arrest:

A UIC student living off-campus has been arrested in an investigation of threats made against students and staff at the University of Chicago. UIC Police have been cooperating with its law enforcement partners since the threats became known. No threats were made against UIC students, faculty or staff but the UIC Police have increased patrols on campus. “We are monitoring this situation closely and are concerned about the impact this has had on our campus and the University of Chicago,” stated UIC Chancellor Michael Amiridis.

“This is my only warning. At 10AM Monday morning, I’m going to the campus quad of the University of Chicago. I will be armed with an M-4 carbine and two desert eagles, all fully loaded. I will execute approximately 16 white male students and or staff, which is the same number of time McDonald was killed. I will then die killing any number of white policeman in the process. This is not a joke. I am to do my part and rid the world of white devils. I expect you do the same.”

Dean deleted the comment, but not before it was seen, photographed and reported.

Dean graduated from Hirsch Metropolitan High School in 2013 and is an electrical engineering student at UIC, according to his Linked In page.

The FBI alerted the university on Sunday, and university officials decided to close the Hyde Park campus and cautioned students to stay home or in their dorms. The medical center remained open. The University of Chicago posted extra security throughout the grounds. Chicago police posted SWAT officers to the quad, as well, DNAinfo Chicago reports.

Laquan McDonald was shot to death by a Chicago police officer in October 2014. The officer, Jason Van Dyke, 37, was arrested last week and charged with first-degree murder. The release of a video recording showing Van Dyke fire 16 shots into McDonald on a South Side street led to several protests in Chicago last week, including one that shut down Michigan Avenue on Black Friday.

Van Dyke appeared in court Monday at noon, where bail was set at $1.5 million.