Former OC student arrested for threatening 'killing spree' in YouTube video

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (FOX 11/CNS) - A onetime student who allegedly threatened a ``killing spree'' against an instructor at Soka University in Aliso Viejo was being held Monday on $1 million bail at the Men's Central Jail in Santa Ana, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

David Kenneth Smith, 39 of Los Angeles, allegedly made the threats against the university staff member ``through bizarre email exchanges and a YouTube channel rant,'' a sheriff's statement said.

Law enforcement officers are breathing a sigh of relief saying they believe they were able to stop a potential mass murderer in his tracks.

Chilling words from a YouTube video made by a man authorities believe could have been the perpetrator of a mass shooting.

About 3 p.m. last Wednesday, sheriff's deputies began investigating a report that Smith had engaged in an email exchange with the unidentified instructor regarding ``disciplinary action against the suspect for marijuana use when he attended the university in 2008,'' according to the sheriff's
department.

``The suspect's frustration in the email correspondence escalated until he finally emailed the staff member a link to a YouTube video that showed him sitting with a semi-automatic pistol on his chest talking about the university,'' according to the sheriff's statement. ``His YouTube channel also included multiple videos recorded in recent days, in which the suspect talked about his desire to engage in a `killing spree.' In some of the videos, the suspect is seen holding a firearm.''

Members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center worked on the case, along with sheriff' investigators, who said they seized nine loaded firearms, all of which were registered to the suspect, upon his arrest last Thursday on suspicion of making
criminal threats.

``Extensive resources were dedicated to the case to ensure the suspect did not have the opportunity to carry out his stated plans,'' the sheriff's statement said. ``Investigators believed the suspect's threats were credible and an attack possible.''

Orange County Sherriff's deputies arrested the former Soka University Student at his Hollywood apartment last Thursday.

During the arrest inside his apartment, officers found a cache of loaded weapons registered to Smith including 2 rifles, three shotguns and four handguns.

"That guy just didn't really say too much.... Didn't come across as angry... Just kinda came across as a person who is not noticed." said neighbor, Simeon Thompson.

"How many times have we seen people after a tragedy... Where somebody would say... I wish I would've said something.... So soku university they said something they got us involved and we took it very seriously.." said Oange County Lieutenant John Macpherson.

The frightening incident coming to light just one day after 26 people were gunned down in a Texas church.