Man arrested for threatening UT Austin, local church: APD

AUSTIN, Texas - A man was arrested for making threats against the University of Texas at Austin and a local church, says the Austin Police Department.

The University of Texas Police Department says he was "reportedly suffering from a mental health crisis."

What we know:

35-year-old David Benjamin Coleman-Roush was arrested in the 5700 block of Tapadera Trace Lane in North Austin early Thursday morning.

He is facing a third-degree felony charge for terroristic threat and is currently in custody at the Travis County Jail.

What we don't know:

APD did not identify the church or share any specifics on the nature of the threats.

UTPD on the arrest

What they're saying:

UTPD Chief of Police Shane Streepy issued a statement on the arrest, calling Roush "an Austin resident reportedly suffering from a mental health crisis."

Streepy says that Roush is not affiliated with the University.

The full statement reads:

"The safety of Longhorns is our highest priority. Overnight, an Austin resident reportedly suffering from a mental health crisis made threats against our campus and others. The Austin Police Department arrested him early this morning and is the primary investigative agency. This individual has no affiliation with the University. We are thankful to our partners at APD for their swift action to protect our Longhorn community. We will continue to monitor this case as it moves through the justice system. 

"UTPD routinely coordinates with our local, state and federal law enforcement partners, exchanging information and monitoring potential threats to ensure every person on our campus is safe and feels safe and supported. As always, we encourage all Longhorns to always be vigilant and report anything suspicious by calling 911 or texting UTPD through the UT LiveSafe app. 

Shane Streepy Chief of Police, UT Police Department"

What's next:

Crime and Public SafetyNorth AustinUT Austin