MIAMI — Florida International University police arrested a 23-year-old student this week after she allegedly posted bomb threats in a high-volume group chat, targeting a university event scheduled for Friday, April 10, 2026.
Gabriela Saldana faces a felony charge of making written threats to kill or do bodily harm. Authorities took Saldana into custody near the FIU campus after investigators linked her to a series of messages within a WhatsApp group consisting of approximately 215 students.
Specific Threats at Ocean Bank Convocation Center
The investigation centered on messages regarding a “Capstone” student event at the Ocean Bank Convocation Center. According to the arrest report, Saldana referenced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a post, asking him to “drop some bonbons”—slang for explosives—on students at the venue.
Police records state Saldanaexplicitly wrote that “there is going to be a bomb” at the center. Investigators confirmed that Saldana admitted to sending the messages, though she later characterized the posts as a “dumb joke.”
Judicial and University Response
During a bond hearing, Judge Mindy Glazer found probable cause for the threat charge, setting bond at $5,000. While prosecutors argued for a sentencing enhancement based on prejudice, Judge Glazer ruled there was insufficient evidence to support that element at this stage…