Man allegedly threatened to shoot up William Jewell because the college ‘ruined his life’
LIBERTY, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- A St. Joseph man charged for allegedly threatening to shoot up William Jewell College's campus said the college "ruined his life."
A probable cause statement was filed on Wednesday, after Jacob A. Raczkowski was taken into custody for fleeing from police on Tuesday.
Liberty, Missouri Communications Unit received a call on the Liberty Police Department's non-emergency phone line on Saturday, June 21, from a 417 area code.
The caller expressed his frustration with getting kicked out of the college and advised that his name was "Paul Sanchez."
The witness answering the phone noted the caller had said, "You want to put me in prison, you're going to need (expletive deleted) gunfire."
He further stated, "I'm going to write a paper, a manifesto..."
When the witness attempted to redirect the collar by asking if there was an emergency, or if he needed police, he said, "Yeah, got to William Jewell, there's an emergency there right now...opening fire."
The caller continued to talk about how William Jewell had "ruined his life" and he will do everything possible to get revenge on it, "even if it means shooting up the school when students come back."
When asked about his date of birth, the caller said "September 11, 2003".
The probable cause statement noted a computer inquiry of "Paul Sanchez" under the stated date of birth did not come back with a file.
A check of the phone number from which the call originated from was linked to Jacob A. Raczkowski.
The LPD was made aware of Raczkowski's concerning behavior, which resulted in his expulsion and a no trespass order from William Jewell College on Dec. 16, 2024.
On Saturday, June 21, a voicemail was left on the general line for William Jewell Admissions from the same number that called the Liberty Communications Unit.
The same voice from the initial call can be heard on the voicemail, which said, "I have nothing to live for. I will (expletive deleted) take my AR-15, I will bring it to William Jewell's uhh freshman, you know, quad walk and I'll (expletive deleted) shoot everyone that's (expletive deleted) there...I'm not scared to pull the (expletive deleted) trigger. I will go there with 10 magazines and kill every (expletive deleted) person at the (expletive deleted) quad walk."
Due to the threats made by the caller and for the safety of the students, William Jewell College administrators decided to cancel summer semester classes on Monday, June 23. They additionally hired off-duty officers to patrol the campus 24 hours a day.
Raczkowski has been charged with Terrorist Threat 1st Degree, where Raczkowski can be sentenced to a maximum term of seven years at the Missouri Department of Corrections, less than a year in the county jail, by a fine less than $10,000 or both imprisonment and a fine.
