Ohio man sentenced for shooting threat in Illinois

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TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — A federal judge has sentenced an Ohio man who was charged with making an online threat to carry out a mass shooting in Illinois to six months in prison.

Ryan Gagnet, 22, of Maumee, also faces six months of home incarceration following his prison term and three years of supervised release.

Gagnet set off a panic and caused schools in Shorewood, Illinois, to cancel outdoor recess in February while he was in an online chat where users can talk anonymously, prosecutors said.

Authorities said Gagnet told others in the chat that he was “going to be on the news” and “commit a mass shooting” in Shorewood.

Gagnet later told investigators he wanted to see the other users’ frightened reactions, prosecutors said.

The threat caused schools in the town, which is southwest of Chicago, to cancel outdoor recess, hire extra security and go into lockdowns, prosecutors said.

Police in Shorewood said they were overwhelmed with calls from residents concerned about the threat.

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