Oakland County Teen Faces Felony Charges For Threatening School Shooting 'Bigger Than Columbine'

PONTIAC (WWJ) - An Oakland County teen has been arraigned on felony charges, accused of using a smartphone app to threaten fellow students.

Jacob Young, 17, of Ortonville, is charged with making a threat of terrorism and using a computer to commit a crime — both 20-year felonies.

Authorities say Young used the popular "After School" app to post the alarming messages.

Appearing in 52-2 District Court via video feed from  the Oakland County Jail, Young admitted to posting the messages and a not-guilty plea was entered for him.

"This was not a generic threat; it was specific and terrifying to students and staff," Oakland County assistant prosecutor Ken Frazee said.

Sheriff Mike Bouchard said Young, who is a student at Brandon High School, posted on the app "After School — Funny Anonymous School News For Confessions and Compliments" — "Tomorrow I'm gonna shoot and kill every last one of you, and it's going to be bigger than Columbine…Death to you all."

Bouchard said the posts included pictures of person holding a pump shotgun with the words: "Bang bang Brandon, bang bang."

The app was available for free for iPhone, iPad and iPod through the iTunes store, but has since been pulled. Posts to the app were supposed to be anonymous, but Bouchard obtained a subpoena in order to identify Young, who was arrested Wednesday.

Judge Kostin said, setting bond at $50,000, 10 percent.

"The threat to the community in this particular case ... is very disturbing and threatening to the community as a whole, and cash bond is appropriate," Kostin said.

As a condition of his bond, Kostin ordered Young be confined to his home on a GPS tether until his court date. Kostin also ordered that Young would not be allowed on school property, would have no contact with other students, posses no weapons and no electronic devices including phones and computers.

Young's attorney, Deanna Kelley, said Young  is a "good kid" with no criminal history and never intended to harm anyone. Kelley said her client didn't like the way students were using the app and was trying to make a statement that "went horribly wrong."

Young will be back in court for a pre-trial conference on Thursday, Dec. 18, at 1 p.m.