NEW HAVEN, Conn.—A Yale University student was charged with attempting to make a bomb and possessing armor-piercing ammunition Thursday, a month after he allegedly shot blanks from a semiautomatic pistol into the ceiling at his fraternity.
David Light, 21, was arraigned on numerous new charges, including criminal attempt to commit the manufacture of bombs, 12 counts of reckless endangerment, eight counts of second-degree breach of peace, 23 counts of possession of armor-piercing ammunition, and manufacture or storage of explosive material near the property of another.
An arrest warrant affidavit filed in New Haven Superior Court portrays Light as a college student fascinated with chemicals and throwing them in lakes and the ocean to create explosions, but does not accuse him of plotting to intentionally harm anyone.
He was first arrested for allegedly shooting blanks from a semiautomatic pistol into the ceiling of the common room at Beta Theta Pi on July 16. Police said they confiscated 11 guns, including two assault rifles, and a stockpile of chemicals and ammunition.
Light appeared in court Thursday to face the new charges, which stem from searches after he was arrested in July. He did not enter a plea. His attorney, William Dow III, said he expects Light to plead not guilty.
“Unfortunately because of the timing and the environment, this is going to be projected on a larger stage than it really merits,” Dow said. “We’re talking about a college student who allegedly made significant errors of judgment.”
A Yale spokesman referred comment to prosecutors.
Investigators say Light taped plastic over a smoke detector in his room so it would not sound if something caught fire.
Light told police he has been interested in chemistry since high school. He described how one chemical could flare up into a greenish fire, calling it “really cool stuff.”
The affidavit cites e-mails to friends in which Light allegedly describes throwing pounds of chemicals into New Haven Harbor and the ocean to create explosions.
The affidavit says the possibility of the chemicals exploding or catching fire “did not appear to influence Mr. Light in his decision to keep those materials in his quarters.”
In an e-mail to a friend in February, Light wrote that he had just received a shipment of a highly explosive chemical.
“I’m very very excited!,” he wrote, according to the affidavit. “So… how soon do you want to do something dangerous??? cause it would be very easy to convince me to go out tonight.”
In another e-mail in February to a Yale student, Light began by writing “Yea, haven’t shot anyone lately,” the affidavit states.
Referring to the e-mails, Dow said, “Sarcasm has been a key ingredient of the Yale campus since the days of (fictional character) Dink Stover and (cartoonist) Garry Trudeau.”
Light told another Yale student in February that he was talking to his parents about a package that arrived with “all sorts of gun stuff” and “my mom saw them and was like ‘are those tank shells for the new gun that we’re getting for you?! Can we reverse the order?!’ It was pretty funny… they are very large bullets…”
In an e-mail in February to a Yale student, Light suggests going out after midnight. “I may be crazy but I try not to be too stupid and stay out of jail.”
“I also want to try out my new fireball 12 gauge ammo… maybe even make a 12 gauge mini missile? I dunno … that might be a little excessively dangerous for now … unless I can find some string… we’ll see.”
Supporters wrote letters describing Light as intelligent and creative and said he would not harm anyone.
Light was posting $250,000 bail Thursday and expects to return to Denver, where his parents live, Dow said.
He was charged with reckless endangerment, threatening, breach of peace, unlawful discharge of a weapon and two counts of possession of an assault weapon in connection with the July 16 incident.
Police said a search turned up a .50-caliber sniper rifle, an AR15 assault weapon, a Russian M-91, a 12-gauge shotgun, a .357-caliber handgun and a .44-caliber handgun.
Light has been suspended from Yale and was evicted from his fraternity immediately after he was arrested. The national parent of Beta Theta Pi disbanded the Yale chapter after the incident.
Light is originally from Poway, Calif., and studied chemistry before changing his major to molecular biology. At Yale, he joined the New Haven Sportsmen’s Club.
His emergency suspension will continue until a board that reviews complaints of student misconduct meets.
