Pierce College campus evacuated after social media threat; arrest made

A 26-year-old man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of posting a social media threat against Pierce College, prompting officials to briefly evacuate the campus.

Sergio Castanon Jr. of Northridge is a former student at Pierce, said Nicole Nishida, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. He was not arrested on the school’s Woodland Hills campus but at his place of employment, authorities said.

He was taken into custody on suspicion of making the threats, possessing high-capacity magazines and illegal ammunition, authorities said.

At a news conference, Capt. Cheryl Newman-Tarwater of the sheriff’s Community College Bureau said an assault rifle was recovered from Castanon’s home, as well as several rounds of ammunition and a smaller caliber weapon.

Sheriff’s investigators had deemed it was a credible threat after the Facebook posting was discovered late Wednesday. The post warned students not to attend class Thursday, and there was an implied threat of violence, Newman-Tarwater said.

After detectives worked through the night and consulted with the FBI, Pierce College President Kathleen F. Burke made the decision to evacuate the campus early Thursday, Newman-Tarwater said.

Pierce College announced that it would reopen at 3:30 p.m., but services would be limited.

Staff photographer Brian van der Brug contributed to this report.

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