Picture on Facebook Lands Local Kid in Psychiatric Center
A SUNY Cobleskill student is awaiting a psychiatric evaluation and has been temporarily suspended by the school after he put a picture of himself holding a shotgun on the social-sharing website “Facebook.com”. It was accompanied by the line that he was tired of people talking “trash” (expletive deleted) about his school, regarding an unrelated housing issue.
Tharindu Meepegama tells CBS 6 News he never intended any harm and that he is not angry. He never considered, he says that he put the picture up just days after the Virginia Tech shootings and that some people might have found that too close for comfort. His friend Ryan Fluty who organized a rally of support on campus says it’s a freedom of speech issue. “It’s a public website. This is taking away that right.”
Other supporters say Meepegama is not a danger to himself or others and simply likes to shoot for target practice.
SUNY Cobleskill would not comment on this specific situation but say when action is taken in such a situation it is for the safety and security of the campus. A college spokesperson says the school did not overreact.
Meepegama hopes to be released from Fox hospital in Oneonta Wednesday morning.
