Former student found not guilty of threatening mass shooting

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – A former West Virginia University student accused of threatening to commit a mass shooting was acquitted by jurors after four hours of deliberation.

The Dominion Post reports Zachary Ryan Johnson was found not guilty Friday of making terroristic threats and threatening communication by use of an electronic device.

Johnson was accused of sending a Snapchat message last year in which he said he felt “like doing a mass shooting.” Johnson admitting sending the message, but said it was an ill-advised joke.

Johnson was accused by two former classmate of making a similar statement at the WVU Health Sciences Center, where he was in the dental hygiene program. He denied those allegations.

Two other witnesses testified on Johnson’s behalf during the three-day trial.

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Information from: The Dominion Post, http://www.dominionpost.com