Man charged with threatening suspect in student killing

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Trevor Spring (Credit: Connecticut State Police)

MYSTIC, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut man who police say threatened to kill a New York City teen accused of fatally stabbing a Barnard College student has been charged with making a racist threat online.

Trevor Spring, 31, of Mystic, posted the threat Thursday on a Reddit forum about the death of Tessa Majors, according to police.

The 18-year-old student from Charlottesville, Virginia, was repeatedly stabbed in New York's Morningside Park near the college's campus during a botched robbery on Dec. 11, according to police, who have said three youths were involved. So far, only one has been arrested: a 13-year-old who has not been accused of stabbing Majors.

“Time to exterminate the real problem," Spring wrote, according to the arrest warrant from state police. "I’m going to search for him myself tonight. Armed and read to fire. Then the parents are next.”

Forum moderators took down the post, which alleged that the perpetrator was black and lived in Harlem.

But the New York Police Department’s Racially and Ethnically Motivated Extremism Unit spotted the post, saved a screenshot and alerted Connecticut State Police.

Spring turned himself in Friday and was charged with second-degree threatening, a misdemeanor. It couldn't immediately be determined if he had a lawyer.

State police said he admitted to writing the post during his lunch break out of anger that Majors died over "pocket change," according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

But Spring maintained he had no intention of carrying out the attack. Police say they also determined he didn't have access to any weapons.

Spring was released on $5,000 bond and ordered to appear Jan. 3 at New London Superior Court.