651-631-5333. snjohnson@unwsp.edu. ", ( Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. North Carolina law bans people from carrying a firearm on educational property. In court on Wednesday, the district attorney said Steber "had been thinking about this since last December. She has more than 35 years of experience working in the fields of mathematics education and teacher education. This is apparently the first incident of Steber threatening violence towards anyone. 3003 Snelling Ave. N. St Paul, MN 55113. 19 year old Paul Steber from Boston is accused of plotting a mass shooting on the campus of High Point University in NC where he was freshman. In some classes, wed have to steer the topic away from politics to keep Steber from going into a downward spiral that would leave a lot of people upset., He was vehemently pro-gun, McFatter said. Steber attended The Newman School in Boston, according to reports. HIGH POINT, N.C. (WFMY) A judge has ordered a former High Point University freshman to be involuntarily committed after he was arrested, accused of plotting to "shoot up the school." The judge ordered 19-year-old Paul Steber, of Boston, Massachusetts, to a North Carolina state-run psychiatric hospital in Butner. display: none; He will undergo a mental health evaluation, the police department said. Judge John Craig of the North Carolina 5th Superior Court Division Judicial District 18. Prosecutors said Steber, who attended The Newman School in the Back Bay, was also planning to shoot himself and his roommate if Steber didnt get into a fraternity and the roommate did. Steber had been watching videos to learn how to carry out a mass shooting, Assistant District Attorney Lori Wickline said in court. #ada-button-frame { Nazareth Hall, N3124. Students reported the weapons to school security, which confiscated the firearms and alerted law enforcement. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! / CBS Boston. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion, Florida Teen Arrested After Threatening to Shoot up His School, Police Say, Spike in People Buying Guns After Sandy Hook Linked to 4% Rise in Shootings, Everytown Urges McConnell to Stand Up to Gun Lobby: 'This Isn't Normal'. The Boston resident is charged with having weapons and making threats on a college Steber would also look up election results and read about which states had more Republicans and Democrats in Congress, he said. Massachusetts could get another snowstorm Friday: What areas were the jackpot zones in this past storm? Police say he is a flight risk because he asked when he could flee the state while in police custody, according to Fox 8. He was charged with three counts: two felony counts of weapons on campus and communicating a threat of mass violence on educational property. Legal Statement. All rights reserved. Steber generally got along with people when the conversation was light, McFatter said, but he despised liberals and went out of his way to make his political opinions known. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. This highlights clear discrepancies in our justice system based on privilege. Paul Arnold Steber, 19, of Boston, a former student . She later added: "And he had been recently watching videos of the Charleston mass shooting down in South Carolina and other mass shootings so that he could learn what to do and what not to do.". His next court hearing, on Sept. 6, will be to determine conditions of release for that charge. In the school yearbook, Steber is pictured wearing a white shirt and red tie. Assistant District Attorney Lori Wickline said in August that Steber told officers he had drawn up his plans and had been thinking about shooting up the school since Christmas of last year. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Paul Steber, a 19-year-old freshman at High Point University, also kept firearms and ammunition in his college dorm room, police said. "This is any parent's worst nightmare," defense attorney John Bryson said in court. McFatter said he found out about Stebers arrest when one of his friends texted him Stebers booking photo. . Steber was taken into custody and charged with two felony counts of weapons on campus or . He's being held in jail on a $2 million bond. "It's pretty disconcerting to think something like that could really happen anywhere. His father, who came down from Massachusetts, sat in court for the brief hearing where Steber appeared via video link. In the first year of probation, he is to commit 100 hours of community service. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, If you'll recall, 19-year-old Paul Steber was arrested back in August for allegedly plotting a school shooting against High Point University in High Point, North Carolina. Join to connect "Basically every single day during class, all he did was look up the NRA, look up guns, politicians. In late July of 2020, Steber has officially received his sentencing. In addition to having the weapons, Steberwatched videos on how to carry out a mass shooting,Assistant District Attorney Lori Wickline said in court. The safety and security of the HPU family is our top priority. the letter said, As we begin a new school year, we experienced an unfortunate situation today.. "Information from the public is often the critical first step in preventing acts of mass violence.". Steber also allegedly told police that he was going to kill himself and his roommate if they didn't get into a fraternity. High Point University says several students reported to HPU staff that Steber had guns in his possession. Court documents show Steber confessed to police during questioning that he had a "plan and timeline to kill people," according to Boston 25 News, and was deemed by authorities as a "threat to society.". He had bought two guns a semi-automatic pistol and a double-barrel shotgun last week, and told police he was plotting to shoot up the school. Market data provided by Factset. He was promptly arrested but released on a $250,000 bail posted by his parents. In August of 2019, Paul Steber was arrested on High Point University's campus. This is any parents worst nightmare, defense attorney John Bryson saidabout Steber's father, who hadappeared in court. He was a freshman at High Point University in North Carolina. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. During the investigation it became clear that Steber had clearly intended to cause mass violence. The Boston resident is charged with having weapons and making threats on a college According to court documents, Steber told police in an interview he planned on "shooting up" the campus. Basically every single day during class, all he did was look up the NRA, look up guns, politicians. His lawyer could not be reached for comment. The authorities said Steber bought the weapons last week, had been researching mass shootings for about nine months, and had a plan and timeline to kill people.. Originally from St. Paul, Minnesota, he has maintained an active connection to BU Hillel since arriving on campus in 2019. . WXII12 News reports Steber bought the guns over the weekend. Steber attended The Newman High School in Boston. He would look up politicians both Democratic and Republican and just stare at them," said Lentz. A shotgun police found in Paul Stebers dorm room. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. His lawyer says nothing like this has come up before @myfox8, Hayley Fixler (@HayleyFixlerTV) August 28, 2019. parents, faculty and staff. . This incident illustrates the importance of the public reporting suspicious activity to authorities, police said in a statement in August. HIGH POINT, N.C. High Point Police say a High Point University freshman who had plans to shoot up the school was arrested on Tuesday. Stebers next court date is currently set for November 1, he will remain in custody until then. #ada-button-frame { He was detained at the Guilford County (High Point) Jail on a $2 million bond. A Boston native arrested for allegedly planning to shoot up his school in North Carolina was ordered by a judge to be involuntarily committed to a psychiatric hospital Monday, according to a report by WFMY-TV in Greensboro, N.C. Paul Steber, 19, a freshman at High Point University, was arrested last month with guns and ammunition in his dorm room and charged with two counts of having a gun on campus and one count of making threats of mass violence. A college student at North Carolina's High Point University was arrested after being found with guns and ammunition in his dorm room, authorities said Wednesday. She said it wasn't clear if he bought the guns legally. Kyle McFatter, 18, remembers the outburst clearly, since President Barack Obama by that point had been out of office for almost two years. Fox 8 also reported that Stebers father was visibly upset listening to everything his son is accused of. while in court. High Point police said officers seized a 9mm pistol and a shotgun from Stebers dorm room. August 29, 2019, 11:10 AM. HIGH POINT, N.C. A High Point University student accused of planning a campus shooting pleaded guilty in a negotiated plea deal in court on Tuesday. He was most recently a reporter at The Lowell Sun. Information from the public is often the critical first step in preventing acts of mass violence.. WBZ reports Steber went to the Newman School, which is a private school in Boston. Would you guys be willing to talk about everything? she asked No. Authorities arrested a college student from North Carolina's High Point University (HPU) on Tuesday for allegedly planning and threatening a campus mass shooting. Crime A college freshman from Boston allegedly threatened a shooting at his N.C. university Paul Steber, 19, had two guns and ammunition in his High Point University dorm room, according to . Stay up-to-date with important news developments, delivered right to your inbox. He also once told classmates that he needed guns to protect myself from illegal aliens, the news station reports. 19-year-old, Paul Steber will remain in jail and undergo a judge ordered mental health evaluation. This incident illustrates the importance of the public reporting suspicious activity to authorities. At the same time, we will also be evaluating how we can further encourage our students to let us know if they see or hear any conduct on campus that causes them concern so that we can follow up.. The 19-year-old from Massachusetts had chosen a university in North Carolina to begin his freshman year because, he told . . The High Point Police Department will continue to work with officials from High Point University; however, at this time there are no indications of additional threats, police said in a statement. Steber, who attended The Newman School in the Back Bay, came up with a plan and timeline to kill people, documents state. The High Point University student body feels extreme unease regarding this current sentencing, and feels as if more time and resources should be directed towards rehabilitation. Paul Steber was arrested by High Point police Tuesday. This incident illustrates the importance of the public reporting suspicious activity to authorities, police said a news release. The student was accused of planning a campus shooting, and was arrested August 2019. He also allegedly told investigators that he came to High Point University because he wanted to be in North Carolina where it was easier to get a gun. Paul A. Steber, a 19-year-old freshman from Boston who was attending High Point University, had also studied mass shootings including the 2015 church shooting in Charleston, South Carolina. or redistributed. . But he stood by them. Log In Sign Up. Steber has been charged with two Felony counts of Weapons on Campus or Other Educational Property (a Class F Felony). Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Police immediately took him into custody and transported him to the High Point Police Department for questioning. Through the course of the investigation, detectives found probable cause to charge Steber with one count of Communicating a Threat of Mass Violence on Educational Property (Class H Felony) according to a police statement. Cassidy White says she's grateful for the students who reported the guns to police when they did, before the alleged plan went further. At first, McFatter couldnt believe it. Police said Steber was ordered held without bond for a maximum of ten days and must undergo a mental health examination during that time. "Arriving officers responded to the dorm room, observed and seized the firearms and took the student, identified as Paul A. Steber, W/M, 19, a freshman from Boston, Massachusetts, into custody, and transported him to the High Point Police Department for questioning," the statement said. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. "This incident illustrates the importance of the public reporting suspicious activity to authorities," High Point police said in a statement. He. The university is located in North Carolina. The television station said Steber began planning an attack in December. Information from the public is often the critical first step in preventing acts of mass violence., In an email sent to the High Point University campus Tuesday, officials said the community experienced an unfortunate situation., North Carolina law prohibits any person, including a concealed handgun permit holder, from carrying a firearm, openly or concealed, on educational property or at a curricular or extracurricular activity sponsored by a public or private primary school, community college, college or university, the email stated. Press J to jump to the feed. A Guilford County judge ordered Steber to be committed to a state-run hospital in Butner. Lynch assured parents the school would be taking steps to ensure students safety. A 19-year-old university freshman, who was arrested after authorities seized a shotgun and a pistol from his dorm room just days after classes began, was potentially plotting a mass shooting at his North Carolina campus, police say. She tried to get a comment from his father and his lawyer who politely declined. The photo shows Steber along with a post-it note that he wrote which reads whatever you do, do it in the most outstanding and exciting way possible!. An officer wrote that Steber had a "plan and timeline to kill people.". Boston native charged in alleged NC shooting plot ordered to psych hospital 19-year-old Paul Steber, a student at High Point University, was arrested last month Steber's father, who came down from Massachusetts, sat in court for the brief hearing where Steber appeared via video link. With three counts: two felony counts of weapons on campus or willing to talk about everything HPU staff Steber. 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