Mental health, competency exam ordered for suspect accused of threatening to ‘blow up’ TCU
A competency exam has been ordered for the former TCU student who is accused of threatening to “blow up” the campus earlier this month, according to court documents.
Ahmad Peterson-Adeyanju, 25, remains in the Tarrant County Jail, and court records show he that he faces four charges related to the TCU incident. The competency exam, which was requested by Adeyanju’s lawyer Lateph Adeniji and ordered by a judge on Tuesday, will test Adeyanju’s competence to stand trial on these charges.
Adeyanju was arrested at TCU on Feb. 2 after he was accused of threatening the Fort Worth university’s staff and threatening to blow up the campus, according to police. Police said they found a loaded gun in his vehicle just off West Berry Street but no explosives.
He was transferred from the city jail to the Tarrant County Jail the next day and faces charges of terroristic threat, trespassing, criminal mischief and unlawful carrying of a weapon. A Tarrant County grand jury indicted Adeyanju on the terroristic threat and criminal mischief charges on Feb. 15.
Terroristic threat and criminal mischief are considered felonies in Texas, while trespassing and unlawful carrying of a weapon are misdemeanor offenses.
According to court records, Adeyanju had mental health concerns and was not taking his medication before the Feb. 2 incident.
Adeniji, Adeyanju’s lawyer, told the Star-Telegram that he understands Adeyanju’s grievances against the school were over a TCU scholarship.
On Facebook, Adeyanju posted a letter in December that appears to reference grievances against TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini.
The demands include that Boschini apologize to Adeyanju and his family in writing, that he create a full-ride scholarship for a low-income Black student to study abroad, and that he create a comprehensive policy “enabling all minority students at TCU to know their basic rights and privileges to the universities resources while academically enrolled.” The list also demands that Boschini either tour the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art with Adeyanju or take him to a performance by comedian Dave Chappelle “for diversity training.”
TCU officials declined to speak on Adeyanju’s relationship with the school or the list of demands he posted for the chancellor, saying that the incident was an “active investigation” and there was no additional information to share.
A TCU Public Safety Bulletin posted around campus in December shows photos of Adeyanju and his vehicle. The bulletin said Adeyanju was “a person of interest and possible witness” and asked anyone who saw him or his vehicle on campus to call TCU police immediately.
It wasn’t clear what motivated TCU officials to post the bulletin.
Court records showed that Adeyanju was scheduled to appear in court Tuesday for a preliminary consultation hearing on the terroristic threat and criminal mischief charges, but the date was pushed back until after the psychological exam is completed, according to Adeyanju’s lawyer.
The next hearing is scheduled for March 10, according to court records.
