Friends of the former American River College student arrested Thursday night for allegedly threatening to attack the campus took to social media to protest his innocence, days before he was released from custody Tuesday.
A Facebook group titled “Truth for Kristofer Clark” had nearly 600 members Tuesday, just days after news spread of the arrest of 21-year-old Kristofer Clark. Posts on the public page are an array of pictures and messages in support of Clark, who was released when the District Attorney decided not to file charges pending further investigation.
Clark said that he was accused of saying to a woman he was hugging that the school was going to “be blown up.”
He was arrested at approximately 6:10 p.m. Thursday at his job at the McDonalds on Fair Oaks Boulevard, about three miles from the ARC campus.
In a jailhouse interview with ABC10, Clark said that he wasn’t given any information about the accusations, and hopes that his arrest was a misunderstanding.
Clark’s mother, Holly Clark, spoke to the Current on Tuesday, following news that her son was going to be released.
“I am relieved. Justice was done. I knew the truth would come out, just a matter of time,” said Mrs. Clark. “I’m not convinced it was a credible threat. I’m fearful the claim was hate-driven.”
Nevertheless, Mrs. Clark said she was not upset with the police and is not currently thinking about further legal action.
“I’m not upset with the police at all; they were just doing their job,” she said. “My priority is just to get him home.”
Mrs. Clark posted an update on the Facebook page Saturday, while her son was in jail, thanking supporters and detailing her misgivings about the case.
“We would like to thank everyone for their support. Words can’t possibly explain what we are going through. Anyone who knows Kristofer knows the accusation against him is false. Kris is a lover and doesn’t have violence in him,” the post read.
“Kris is extremely scared right now. We all believe he is being used as an example. … Stories aren’t lining up. The only consistent thing we have heard is there doesn’t seem to be much if any proof of the claim yet they jailed him in general population in Sacramento county jail and he doesn’t even see a judge until Tuesday.”
Mrs. Clark went on to express frustration with the limited information she’s been given about the case.
ARC student Kyle Joyce said that whoever reported Clark must not have known him well.
“He would never really do it, he just doesn’t think before speaking a lot,” said Joyce. “I stand by this man and his good character.”
On the other hand, ARC student Kyra Pigford said that when she found out Clark had been arrested for allegedly making threats, she was “not surprised.”
“I was like ‘there’s something very off about this person.’ You can just kind of tell,” said Pigford. “Honestly, just being around him and experiencing him around other people, I’m not surprised.”
Pigford said that Clark often joked about sexual assault and “would say random things just to get attention.”
“The way you make friends is not by saying stuff like ‘I’m going to rape you,’” said Pigford. “I don’t know if he needs guidance or mental health or if it’s his personality, but that’s no way to act in public.”
Additional reporting by John Ferrannini, Kameron Schmid and Jordan Schauberger
Alice • Oct 13, 2015 at 8:30 pm
I am so glad that he was released and I sure hope the person who said this is now brought up on charges.