The WKU student accused of sending a bomb threat about Parking Structure 2 last September pleaded guilty to a criminal charge on Tuesday, June 20. 

Hailee Reed, a 21-year-old rising senior, originally pleaded not guilty to one count of first-degree terroristic threatening at the Warren County Circuit Court, according to records obtained by the Herald.

Reed was arrested on Sept. 14, 2022 by WKU police after making an anonymous bomb threat to the social media platform Yik Yak, in which she stated “next bomb will be in ps2. y’all prepare yourselves,” according to the police report.

The arrest came after a threat of a “potential explosive device” earlier in the day at Cherry Hall, which was believed to be construction-related. This led all campus classes to be suspended and buildings at the top of the hill to be evacuated. 

Reed accepted a guilty plea agreement for one count of second-degree terroristic threatening, in which the Commonwealth now recommends two years of pretrial diversion for five years.

According to the order of pretrial diversion, if the defendant fails to complete the terms and conditions of the diversion, two years are recommended as the appropriate sentence. With completion of the diversion, the case will be dismissed.

The pretrial diversion period is set for five years, but the diversion is requested to end upon Reed’s successful completion of her degree at WKU, as stated by the order of pretrial diversion.

Editor-in-chief Alexandria Anderson can be reached at [email protected].