Michael Zechariah Tedder, 19
DAVIE COUNTY, N.C. — A Davie County teenager has been sentenced in federal court to 10 months in prison for making mass shooting threats against three universities in 2025, federal prosecutors announced.
Michael Zechariah Tedder, 19, of Advance, was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court after previously pleading guilty to one count of communicating a threat in interstate commerce. In addition to his prison sentence, Tedder will serve three years of supervised release.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina, Tedder placed threatening phone calls on Sept. 12, 2025, to the Georgia Institute of Technology, the University of North Texas and the University of Louisville. During the calls, prosecutors said he threatened to carry out mass shootings on the campuses, using graphic language to describe his intended acts of violence.
Authorities launched an investigation that traced the calls back to Tedder. The case was investigated by the FBI Charlotte Joint Terrorism Task Force with assistance from the Davie County Sheriff’s Office.
Court records show Tedder pleaded guilty to the federal charge in March 2026. During sentencing, the court considered information regarding Tedder’s history of mental health issues.
Federal prosecutors said the threats disrupted university operations and required significant law enforcement resources to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff.
U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Eagles imposed the 10-month prison sentence, followed by three years of supervised release.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the case underscores the serious consequences of making threats of mass violence, regardless of whether the individual intends to carry them out.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric L. Iverson prosecuted the case.
