COEUR d' ALENE,
Idaho- Police are searching for a North Idaho College student who allegedly made
"Veiled" threat.
33-year old
Patrick Budig, AKA Patrick Kinnunen, allegedly made an off the cuff statement or
threat to a disabilities counselor who worked off campus about the columbine
shootings, that after police say Budig was frustrated with NIC after it had
taken disciplinary action against him.
The comment
was allegedly made Friday but police discovered Budig had outstanding warrants
and a criminal history which intensified the search, campus officials and police
were waiting for Budig as he was scheduled to attend a Monday morning class at
10 AM but never showed up.
The NIC campus was never in lock down and students
were not immediately notified because police and campus officials believed there
was no "immediate" threat and Budig was in Spokane on Monday despite a
heightened police presence on campus.
Budig was
arrested in 2008 for threatening to kill a Spokane County judge. According to
Coeur d' Alene Police Budig also has been arrested on assault charges in the
past. Officials with NIC confirm Budig was someone who was "on the radar" of
campus security after recent incidents but would not elaborate on exactly what.
General students at NIC do not need to go through a criminal background check to
become enrolled with the exception of some studies like law enforcement. Because
of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, NIC officials could not
release information to KHQ about what classes Budig was enrolled in.
NIC officials
confirm that Budig has since been "Trespassed" from campus, essentially kicked
off and not allowed back unless with a police escort. Budig was scheduled for a
court appearance in Spokane county this morning, further reason Coeur d'Alene
police believed he was not in North Idaho. However Budig failed to show up for
his court date.