Claremore Daily Progress

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February 22, 2008

Information that led to lockdown may have been embellished

By TOM FINK

The mental well-being of a Rogers State University student is the only thing in question at this point in a police investigation into a what could have been a potential crime.

Claremore Assistant Police Chief Stan Brown said a police report and a lockdown on the university’s city campus may have been the result of “embellished” information.

“We went to investigate a potential crime, and as a result of that investigation, we took the party into protective custody for a mental health evaluation,” Brown said.

“The reason the college even came into this was that this person was a RSU student — and has several contacts and acquaintances there.

“Young people being young people, information about what did or didn’t happen just flew — and it’s not uncommon for that information to get embellished in the process,” Brown said.

Although the identity of the person taken into custody is largely known among RSU students and faculty, Brown said the police cannot legally confirm it, as the case is a “mental health issue.”

“This person is not under arrest — he never was,” Brown said. “We are investigating the situation for possible crimes this person may have committed, but our primary concern, for everyone involved, is firstly, the safety of the public, and then the safety and the welfare of this person.

“It’s our responsibility constitutionally — and morally — to ensure the public is safe, and then try to meet the needs of this person’s mental health,” Brown said. “We’re confident that any person who may have been potentially threatened by this person has been contacted, and I say ‘potentially’ because at this point, we’re still looking into whether or not a crime was committed.”

Although RSU went under a precautionary lockdown Tuesday, Brown said it was not determined that anyone at the university was ever in any danger.

Brown did say that as a result of the evaluation at the Claremore Grand Lake Mental Health Center, (the man) was placed in the state’s mental health facility for further assessment and treatment.

“After 72 hours (at the state’s mental health facility), it’s our understanding that this person will be allowed a mental health hearing, wherein a panel of licensed (mental health) practitioners will evaluate his case,” Brown said. “Based on our observations and those at Grand Lake, a recommendation will be made for further treatment and/or assessment of this person.”

“We do not and can not release people’s (personal) information that we take in for mental health evaluations — we’re not mandated by law to do so.

“This is enough of a community issue that the person’s name is out there, but we can’t officially confirm or deny it at this point,” Brown said.

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