MOUNT VERNON — Charges were filed against a Mount Vernon Nazarene University student Sept. 17 after Mount Vernon Police officers responded to a call to his campus apartment only to discover the caller had made a false report.
Rory B. Ladd, 19, of Bryan, and residing in Redwood Dormitory at MVNU, reportedly called the Mount Vernon Police Department at 1:57 p.m. claiming he had been robbed at knifepoint. Three officers responding to the call questioned Ladd about the incident after finding him in the bathroom of his apartment with a towel on several knife wounds.
According to the police report, Ladd claimed he was confronted by a male subject in the parking lot near his apartment who demanded Ladd’s wallet and proceeded to stab him with a knife. Ladd stated he then made his way back to the apartment before calling the police.
According to a police report acquired by the News, the officers were suspicious of Ladd’s story, stating that the cuts on his body were superficial and were not that of a typical knife attack. There was also no blood found where Ladd claimed the incident took place or between that location and his apartment.
Ladd was taken to the Knox Community Hospital emergency room where he was treated for his cuts. Detective Craig Feeney of the MVPD responded to KCH where Ladd admitted the wounds were self-inflicted and that he provided false information to the police. Further information was gathered by Feeney on prior incidents, including a last-chance agreement with the university.
Ladd was charged with filing a false report and transported to the Knox County Jail after being medically cleared and evaluated by Behavioral Healthcare Partners of Central Ohio.
The MVNU Campus Safety Office was contacted to assist the MVPD with the incident. Campus Safety Coordinator Rick Johnston was unable to provide further information. Rick Engstrom, Residential Director at MVNU, stated that the student body was not at risk in the incident but declined further comment.
Vice President of Student Life at MVNU Lanette Sessink arrived at the hospital and was informed of the findings of the investigation and that Ladd was taken to jail. She informed Ladd’s family of the incident and advised that Ladd would not be allowed back on campus for the remainder of the semester, the police report stated.
Ladd is scheduled for a pretrial hearing at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5 at Mount Vernon Municipal Court.
