2008 Woodie Awards
Sophomore arrested for carrying a weapon at University of Texas
By: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Issue date: 4/17/08 Section: Campus
AUSTIN, Texas - After receiving an anonymous tip, UT police arrested a student Tuesday for carrying a firearm on campus.
Authorities booked undeclared engineering sophomore Jason Liao at 4:29 a.m. with the charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon in a prohibited place, a third degree felony. As of press time, Liao remained in the Travis County Jail with a $15,000 bond and had not been assigned a lawyer. If convicted, he could face two to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
An anonymous call to the UT Behavior Concerns Advice Line sparked the investigation, according to the arrest affidavit. The confidential informant provided police with two witnesses.
One witness told police she saw Liao remove a handgun from a blue duffel bag while in her room in Jester West Dormitory in February, according to the affidavit. She also said Liao talked about "going on a mission" with another person that involved the weapon, the affidavit said. Two photos on Liao's MySpace page show him flaunting a gun to the camera with an unlit cigarette in his mouth. The witness said the gun from the MySpace photos was similar to the firearm she saw in her dorm room.
Another witness told UTPD she saw Liao conceal the weapon in a gym bag while at Belmont Hall, the affidavit said. According to the arrest warrant, when she asked if the firearm was real, Liao responded, "Yeah, do you want to hold it?"
Liao told the witness the gun was not loaded, the affidavit said. The warrant did not reveal when the incident took place.
The suspect's roommate said in the affidavit that he believed Liao stole the gun from him. The roommate also said he bought the Cougar-brand 9 mm 8000 series handgun from McBride's Gun Shop. He claimed Liao traded the pistol for another weapon and cash.
LaToya Hill, Student Emergency Services coordinator and supervisor of the behavior concern line, said the University began the hot line on Aug. 29, 2007, as a proactive measure to ensure a safe University environment. She said that last month the service received about two to three calls per week.
"It serves as a resource for the caller, but then it also allows the University to respond if the individual is in distress," she said.
The service works as a partnership between the dean of students' office, UTPD, the counseling and mental health center and the employee assistance program.
"I think it is the most important prevention tool on campus," Hill said. "Often you see with some of these situations that somebody knew something and didn't say anything. This one line allows individuals to pick up the phone, take some responsibility and say, 'This is a concern for me.'"
Hill said she urges students to call in at any hour to report odd behavior.
Authorities booked undeclared engineering sophomore Jason Liao at 4:29 a.m. with the charge of unlawful carrying of a weapon in a prohibited place, a third degree felony. As of press time, Liao remained in the Travis County Jail with a $15,000 bond and had not been assigned a lawyer. If convicted, he could face two to 10 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
An anonymous call to the UT Behavior Concerns Advice Line sparked the investigation, according to the arrest affidavit. The confidential informant provided police with two witnesses.
One witness told police she saw Liao remove a handgun from a blue duffel bag while in her room in Jester West Dormitory in February, according to the affidavit. She also said Liao talked about "going on a mission" with another person that involved the weapon, the affidavit said. Two photos on Liao's MySpace page show him flaunting a gun to the camera with an unlit cigarette in his mouth. The witness said the gun from the MySpace photos was similar to the firearm she saw in her dorm room.
Another witness told UTPD she saw Liao conceal the weapon in a gym bag while at Belmont Hall, the affidavit said. According to the arrest warrant, when she asked if the firearm was real, Liao responded, "Yeah, do you want to hold it?"
Liao told the witness the gun was not loaded, the affidavit said. The warrant did not reveal when the incident took place.
The suspect's roommate said in the affidavit that he believed Liao stole the gun from him. The roommate also said he bought the Cougar-brand 9 mm 8000 series handgun from McBride's Gun Shop. He claimed Liao traded the pistol for another weapon and cash.
LaToya Hill, Student Emergency Services coordinator and supervisor of the behavior concern line, said the University began the hot line on Aug. 29, 2007, as a proactive measure to ensure a safe University environment. She said that last month the service received about two to three calls per week.
"It serves as a resource for the caller, but then it also allows the University to respond if the individual is in distress," she said.
The service works as a partnership between the dean of students' office, UTPD, the counseling and mental health center and the employee assistance program.
"I think it is the most important prevention tool on campus," Hill said. "Often you see with some of these situations that somebody knew something and didn't say anything. This one line allows individuals to pick up the phone, take some responsibility and say, 'This is a concern for me.'"
Hill said she urges students to call in at any hour to report odd behavior.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Bryan
posted 4/17/08 @ 10:03 AM EST
I disapprove carrying a gun on UT campus, however I believe Jason has no intention of to harm anybody with the weapon. He needs help.
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