Police: Student made Palo Verde bomb threat, could face felony charges

 by Matt Culbertson
 published on Thursday, April 10, 2008

A student faces possible felony charges after turning himself in to ASU Police Tuesday for making a bomb threat in a residence hall last week, police said.

Joseph Kendal Siverts turned himself in for making a bomb threat in the Palo Verde East residence hall on April 3, said ASU Police Cmdr. Jim Hardina.

"He probably knew we were looking for him, so he came with his lawyer," Hardina said. "He didn't want to talk to the police."

Siverts left a handwritten message in an elevator that said, "There is a bomb in the building," Hardina said.

The threat caused the evacuation of the hall, ASU spokeswoman Leah Hardesty said last week.

The residence hall was closed for a half-hour while police searched the building, she said. No suspicious devices were found, and everyone was allowed to re-enter the building, she added.

According to the ASU directory, Siverts is a pre-medical student. Siverts did not respond to an e-mail request for comment by deadline.

ASU Police are no longer investigating the case, and it is being sent to the Maricopa County attorney's office, which could charge Siverts with a felony, Hardina said.

— MATT CULBERTSON