Mississippi State junior Zayden Leonard is weighing legal action after campus police handcuffed and detained him for under an hour on Aug. 26 over a reported threat to blow up the financial aid office. He denies it and has not been charged.
Attorney Harry Daniels said Leonard went to the financial aid office to resolve what he believed was incorrect information about an academic scholarship for the fall semester. Daniels said at least six officers approached him as he waited for help; officers later told Leonard an employee had reported the threat.
Daniels said Leonard has faced no university disciplinary action and that his legal team is investigating what happened, including possible civil litigation. Mississippi State said it follows safety and reporting procedures for potential threats, cooperates with law enforcement and makes student support services available. The university declined further details, citing ongoing legal and disciplinary processes.
