A 21-year-old Hialeah man was arrested and charged with a felony after police said he published an Instagram post threatening a mass act of terrorism on the first day of fall classes at Miami Dade College’s Hialeah Campus.
An Instagram Post Targets Miami Dade College
The incident unfolded on Monday, August 24, as students arrived for the first day of the fall semester. According to an arrest affidavit cited by The Reporter, campus officers received a call at approximately 10:30 a.m. regarding a social media post that declared, “Everyone at MDC dies today.”
Major Crimes Investigation Leads to Hialeah Address
Authorities moved swiftly to intercept the suspect, arresting him later that day.
According to the arrest affidavit, Santos told investigators he grew frustrated with the college over administrative hurdles, specifically citing “their difficulty to enroll without seeing a committee.” When contacted by journalists regarding the suspect’s student status, college administration officials did not confirm whether Santos was actively enrolled at the institution.
MDC released an official statement detailing the rapid response to the digital threat. “Upon learning of a threatening social media post involving the College, MDC Public Safety immediately contacted and worked closely with the Hialeah Police Department. Law enforcement responded swiftly and took the individual into custody,” the college stated.
Santos appeared for his first court hearing on Tuesday, August 25, where he entered a not guilty plea to the charge of written threats to kill or do bodily injury, a felony offense. As of Tuesday evening, jail records show he remains held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
Previous Security Incidents at the Hialeah Campus
This arrest marks the second high-profile security incident involving the Hialeah Campus within a five-month span. On March 9, law enforcement arrested Leonard Diaz inside the campus parking garage after he allegedly brandished a firearm during a verbal confrontation with another student.
