Ohio man charged with mass shooting threat to Illinois town

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - An Ohio man has been charged with making an online threat to carry out a mass shooting in Illinois that set off a panic and caused schools in one village to cancel outdoor recess and add security, prosecutors said.

Ryan J. Gagnet, 22, of Maumee, is accused of making the threat on Feb. 4 while he was in an online chat where users can talk anonymously.

He told others in the chat that he was 'œgoing to be on the news'ť and 'œcommit a mass shooting'ť in Shorewood, according to a complaint filed by prosecutors in U.S. District Court in Toledo.

Gagnet later told investigators that he wanted to see the other users' frightened reactions, prosecutors said.

He was arrested and made an initial court appearance last week on a charge of interstate communication of a threat to injure. A message seeking comment was left with his attorney.

The threat caused schools in Shorewood, Illinois, to cancel outdoor recess, hire extra security and go into lockdowns, prosecutors said.

Police in Shorewood, which is southwest of Chicago, said they were overwhelmed with calls from residents concerned about the threat. Some officers worked overtime, and assignments were changed to deal with the threat, prosecutors said.