Former Southern Adventist University student arrested after making threats
Collegedale Police Department
COLLEGEDALE, Tenn. — The Collegedale Police Department has arrested a former Southern Adventist University student following an investigation into a series of threatening communications sent to the university and law enforcement personnel.
26-year-old Michael Whitfield Hanna was arrested in April of 2026.
They say the investigation began in May 2024, when Southern Adventist University’s Campus Safety reported multiple anonymous emails and an anonymous letter containing concerning statements directed toward university faculty.
Collegedale Police worked in coordination with Tennessee Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to identify the source of those communications.
During the investigation, Hanna was contacted by law enforcement and interviewed. Although he initially denied involvement, they say the threatening communications ceased immediately after the interview.
In July 2025, law enforcement received an additional threatening email referencing details previously known only to investigators and the suspect, prompting the case to be reopened and transferred to federal authorities for further review, according to the Collegedale Police Department.
In late 2025, investigators learned that Hanna, who had graduated from the Collegedale university in 2024, had been repeatedly observed on the Southern Adventist University campus despite having no official reason to be there.
Due to safety concerns from the threats the school had received, Campus Safety issued an official ban and trespass warning.
They say following the execution of a federal search warrant in November 2025, investigators recovered electronic documents containing additional threatening statements and materials indicating a continued fixation on individuals connected to the earlier reports.
Based on the findings of the investigation, Michael Hanna was taken into custody and charged with making threats of violence on school property, stalking, and retaliation for past actions.
Additional federal charges may be forthcoming as the investigation continues.
