Ovechkin death threat traced to area teen

May 07, 2009|By KATE S. ALEXANDER

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- Pennsylvania State Police have seized a computer from the Chambersburg-area home of a person believed responsible for posting a death threat against Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin on a hockey message board.

Police refused to identify the owner of the computer. Other media have reported the poster as a Chambersburg teenager.

Police said the message was posted on a Pittsburgh Penguins message board.

In the message, the poster bragged he was going to kill Ovechkin and did not care if he went to jail.

The post made against Ovechkin is under investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Investigation Computer Crimes Section in Indiana, Pa., according to Pennsylvania State Police in Chambersburg.

The laptop computer seized Wednesday night from a home on Newcomer Road in Guilford Township is believed to be connected to the incident, police said.

Police also said in the release the occupants of the house "were identified and accounted for."

The Penguins released a statement on the threat saying, "We were notified of the message and immediately turned over all the information to the authorities."

The Capitals released a similar statement saying, "We became aware of an inappropriate comment on a message board and referred it to the proper authorities. We appreciate their diligence and have every confidence in our club's safety."

Ovechkin, the NHL's leading goal scorer, has five goals in the first three games of the NHL Eastern Conference semifinals series against Pittsburgh. He scored the game's first goal during Washington's 3-2 overtime loss in Game 3 on Wednesday night, hours after the threat was posted.

The Capitals and Penguins play Game 4 in Pittsburgh on Friday night.

The series continues in Washington with Game 5 on Saturday night.

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