Yunsong Zhao, from China, was detained Monday for illegally possessing a rifle
A Virginia Tech freshman has been arrested after trying to buy 5,000 rounds of ammunition, sparking fears of a mass attack on campus.
Yunsong Zhao, from China, was detained Monday for illegally possessing a rifle as a foreign national.
The arrest sparked rumors of a weapon stockpile and comparisons to a 2007 mass shooting in which a 23-year-old senior killed 32 on the school's campus.
But the university issued a statement Tuesday saying Zhao didn't pose a threat to campus.
Tech Police Chief Kevin Foust says an investigation found the rumors to be inaccurate.
Foust stated in a statement posted to Facebook on Monday: 'I want to personally thank each and every one of you in assisting us here in our efforts to keep all Hokies safe.'
Alvaro Barros, a freshman from Brazil who knew Zhao, told WDBJ: 'He seemed like a normal guy, you know what I mean? Just someone trying to make friends and trying to blend in like everybody else.
'I was just shocked because he doesn't seem like the guy that would do it, not at all.'
Zhao faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
A Virginia Tech freshman has been arrested after trying to buy 5,000 rounds of ammunition sparking fears of a mass attack on campus (pictured)