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Utah student accused of threatening to detonate nuclear reactor if football team lost

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Posted at 2:58 PM, Sep 22, 2022
and last updated 2022-09-22 16:01:24-04

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KSTU)— A University of Utah student was arrested Wednesday for allegedly threatening to detonate a nuclear reactor if the school's football team lost their game.

Meredith Miller, 21, now faces one count of threat of terrorism, a second-degree felony.

Arresting documents detail that Miller is an engineering student, and allegedly posted on the social media platform YikYak that if the University of Utah did not win their game, she would "detonate the nuclear reactor that is located in the University of Utah causing mass destruction."

Her alleged threat was posted on September 17, the same day that the University of Utah played San Diego State. The Utes won the game.

Documents state that because Miller is an engineering student, she "has knowledge of the nuclear reactor" and knows where the reactor is located.

University of Utah leaders issued a statement Thursday saying the school doesn't take threats lightly.

"Although the student said her statement was meant as a joke, 'we have a zero-tolerance policy for these kinds of threats,'" said Chief Jason Hinojosa in a part.

Leaders also noted that the nuclear reactor housed at the university is secured and alarmed and there are unique protocols for managing a breach of the facility.

This story was originally reported by Melanie Porter on fox13now.com.