Man who threatened Skidmore student arrested

Posted by Rebecca Orbach

Early this morning, the man who threatened a Skidmore student and caused a campus lockdown was arrested. 

The Saratoga Springs Police have identified the man as Lance C. Leonard, 49, with a last known address of Cuttyhunk, Massachusetts.  

The college went into lockdown after Leonard made a "credible" threat against a Skidmore student. According to The Saratogian, the threat was made over the phone and made no mention of a weapon.

At 1:45 a.m. SSPD determined that the suspect was not in the Saratoga Springs area. At 6 a.m., with Police and Campus Safety monitoring the campus, the College resumed normal activity, despite still not having found the suspect.  

At 7:50 this morning, a Campus Safety Report informed the community "the man suspected of making threats yesterday to harm a Skidmore College student has been apprehended."

Rochelle Calhoun, Dean of Student Affairs, sent an email to parents at about 9 a.m. letting them know "that the suspect has been apprehended and we have returned the campus to normal activity."

SSPD are no longer monitoring the College.

"We are most appreciative of the efforts of the Saratoga Springs Police and the various other agencies who were part of this effort," Calhoun said in her 9 a.m. email.

District Attorney, James A. Murphy III was not available for comment and Lieutenant John Catone of SSPD refused to comment, saying information will be available at a 1 p.m. press conference in the City Council room in City Hall.