Two University of Connecticut students have been arrested following a reported disturbance at a university dining hall last week.
Thanh Bao, 18, of Vernon and Nathanael Ghez, 18, of Penn Valley, Pennsylvania were taken into custody on Wednesday on active arrest warrants, according to the UConn Police Department.
Police allege that Bao and Ghez conspired and took part in the Connecticut Dining Hall in reenacting a TikTok video that was going viral on Nov. 7.
According to police, Bao was allegedly yelling commands while “holding a black cell phone with two hands and posturing forward like he was holding a firearm” as Ghez recorded it on his cell phone and yelled in collaboration with Bao.
“The incident caused fear and alarm to other individuals in the dining facility,” police said.
Bao is charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit threatening, first-degree threatening and second-degree breach of peace. Ghez is charged with first-degree conspiracy to commit threatening and second-degree breach of peace.
Both teens were processed and released from custody with scheduled court dates on Nov. 21 at Rockville Superior Court.
“Federal privacy laws prohibit UConn from discussing whether specific students may face discipline,” said university spokesperson Stephanie Reitz. “However, generally speaking, any students who are believed to have engaged in behavior that causes safety concerns and/or disrupts regular operations may face Student Code of Conduct reviews and can be subject to sanctions, up to and including expulsion.”
