11 Alive, Local news
Another page regarding the incident
They've released his picture
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As many of you may know, or have recently become aware, the student responsible for the incident on October 10th has been apprehended and charged. Theodore Hollot, first year undergraduate Tech student, has been charged with 1 count of Felony; construction and possession of a destructive device, and 1 count of misdemeanor; reckless conduct. He also faces a student judiciary review pending the outcome of his trial, and has been suspended from the University in the mean time.
While it may be true that Theodore was indeed responsible for the particular “device” involved in this incident, it is no surprise to most Tech student that this sort of activity occurs frequently on campus. Following the example of several other students who had made similar devices the week before, Theodore proceeded to concoct several of his own “water bottle bombs” using nothing more then commercially available dry-ice (solid C02) and water. The difference here is a matter of extremely bad luck, as several of the devices apparently failed to “explode” (pop is a better description), and one was lost from view. Upon realizing that some of the bottles remained intact, Theodore went down to the scene and picked up the intact bottles he saw and unscrewed their lids to release the pressure (no need for a bomb squad). Granted, this sort of activity can be considered dangerous, and it is a violation of housing rules to throw anything out of a window. Previous violators have gotten away with little more then verbal warnings, and if you live in the vicinity of Glenn hall, you know that there are more then a few previous violators. As I have mentioned before, Theodore’s case is one of extremely bad luck as the one remaining bottle, after sitting untouched for 2 days, happened to burst when a groundskeeper picked it up with a pair of metal thongs.
After reading and watching several news reports on the evening following the incident, it became apparent to Theodore that, given the vicinity of the “crime scene” to his window and his recent activities, it could have been one of his own “bombs” that had caused the whole ordeal. With little more then circumstantial evidence to possibly link the device in question back to Theodore, as well as the host of other student who had been creating similar devices recently, it was plain for anyone to see that the best course of action was to lay low and let it blow over. Well, that is what sets Theodore apart from everyone else. After relating the story to his parents over the phone, he headed down to the Glenn housing director (Joseph Slade) and confessed to his potential involvement with the recent incident. The next morning, after receiving a call from Joseph encouraging him to contact the Georgia Tech Police, Theodore walked into the station across campus and confessed his involvement to the authorities.
Obviously, these are not the actions of a “terrorist”. Thad made a poor decision, but he has taken full responsibility for his actions. Who among us hasn’t been involved in a similar, albeit less serious, situation, only to take a hit as a group because the culprit holds out, forcing the authorities to go to extreme measures to finger the suspect? By turning himself in without a fuss, Theodore not only proved himself true to character of a Georgia Tech Student, he also saved many people a lot of time, money and effort. We all make mistakes, but is Thad’s mistake worthy of a felony charge which would render him unable to attend another university for the rest of his life? Is his mistake worthy of permanent expulsion from a school that has the great tradition of honoring those who display integrity of character and honesty? As a Tech student, I feel that while Theodore’s actions do warrant a punishment, let the punishment fit the crime. There was no malicious intent on his part, and he has shown to everyone that he is regretful of his actions.
As far as I know, there will be a student judiciary ruling following the outcome of Theodore’s court hearing. The UJC is responsible for determining the actions to be taken by the university in response to Theodore’s actions. The SGA is an organization that represents the undergraduate student body. The fate of Theodore Hollot’s college career and life rest in the hands of each and every member of the Georgia Tech community, so let your voice be heard.
