An 18-year-old Carnegie Mellon University student was charged after he sent an anonymous comment to a teacher on Feb. 7 that discussed going “onto a roof with a sniper rifle.”

Derek Li, of Squirrel Hill, admitted to Pittsburgh police that he sent the comment but said he didn’t write it — he copied the text from the website Reddit, an online discussion board.

The message, which was several paragraphs long, discussed how a sniper rifle is an efficient tool and people are easily killed, according to a criminal complaint, which quoted the message.

“People are just people, no matter how much more they aspire to be,” the message said. “It takes a loaded gun in the hand and the power to kill to realize that.”

A Carnegie Mellon faculty member received the message through an anonymous student feedback section used as part of a course. The anonymous feedback is delivered to the faculty member — who taught the course — via email, according to a criminal complaint.

Investigators determined that a computer registered to Mr. Li was logged into the university’s network and connected to the course website when the threat was sent.

Police stopped Mr. Li as he was leaving a class later that day and took him in for questioning. He told investigators he does not have access to a gun.

He was charged with two counts of terroristic threats and disorderly conduct, and charged by summons. He is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing on March 6.

Carnegie Mellon's interim president, Farnam Jahanian, said in a statement Thursday that the school's faculty and staff worked quickly to address the situation.

"The student has been removed from our community, and we are confident our community is not in danger," he said.

A school spokeswoman did not immediately to a request for clarification on whether Mr. Li had been expelled from the school.

Shelly Bradbury: 412-263-1999, sbradbury@post-gazette.com or follow @ShellyBradbury on Twitter.

First Published: February 15, 2018, 7:47 p.m.