Man who posted videos of desire to kill arrested

SANTA ANA — A man who posted videos of himself holding guns and smiling while describing his desire to go on a killing rampage has been arrested after threatening a staff member at a private university in Southern California that he attended, authorities said Monday.

David Kenneth Smith, 39, pleaded not guilty to a charge of making criminal threats after authorities received a report about an email exchange he had with a staff member at Soka University in Aliso Viejo last week.

Smith had been emailing the employee about discipline he faced for marijuana use when he attended the university in 2008. He then sent a link to a YouTube video showing him in a bathtub with a semi-automatic pistol on his chest speaking about the school, said Jaimee Blashaw, a spokeswoman for the Orange County Sheriff ’s Department.

In the video, Smith said college employees “never liked me” and described being repeatedly fined for residence hall violations and accused of stealing another student’s belongings. He said he filed complaints with the school against several employees, including a dean.

Investigators said Smith had posted other videos of himself holding weapons and speaking of his desire to kill. Smith was arrested Friday, and authorities recovered nine loaded weapons registered to him.