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Police: Movie ‘bottle bomb’ suspect confessed

By WTOP Staff

MATTHEW BARAKAT
Associated Press

UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) — A Maryland man confessed to setting off “bottle bombs” in six incidents at five movie theaters in Virginia and Maryland, authorities said Monday.

Manuel Joyner, 20, of Bowie, has been charged in Prince George’s County and Fairfax County, Virginia, and faces charges in three other jurisdictions for incidents between March and May, authorities said a press conference in Largo, where one of the incidents occurred at the AMC Magic Johnson Capital Center theaters.

Mark Brady, spokesman for Prince George’s County Fire and Rescue, said Joyner confessed after his arrest Saturday.

A motive was unclear. A series of criminal charges and peace orders had been filed against Joyner in recent years in Prince George’s County related to stalking an ex-girlfriend. In one case he pleaded guilty to malicious destruction of property and was sentenced to probation before judgment for smashing the windows of the ex-girlfriend’s car.

In court papers, the ex-girlfriend said Joyner refused to obey the court orders to leave her alone. In February 2013, seeking charges against him for violating a peace order, she suggested that he “seriously has mental issues that needs to be addressed before somebody gets hurt because of him.”

The attorney in that case did not return a phone message seeking comment. Calls to Joyner’s home went unanswered Monday.

Authorities say he detonated soda bottles at movie theaters in Montgomery, Prince George’s and Anne Arundel counties in Maryland and Fairfax County and the city of Alexandria in Virginia. The explosions panicked moviegoers and led to some evacuations, but caused no serious injuries.

Officials said the devices involved an acid and a base combined inside a sealed plastic bottle, causing it to explode.

Joyner, who signs his name as Manuel Joyner-Bell in court records, initially had his bail set at $50 million, but a judge later denied any bail at a hearing Monday in Prince George’s County.

Authorities said the severe bail is an indication of the seriousness of the crime.

“We don’t consider this, or anything like this, a prank,” said Prince George’s County Fire Chief Marc Bashoor, noting that even if the bombs aren’t necessarily deadly, the stampede that they can set off in a crowded theater could be.

In Fairfax County, the charges include use or manufacture of a weapon of terrorism or a hoax device. The AMC theater in Tysons Corner was the only theater that was hit in two separate incidents on consecutive weekends last month. The theater chain offered a $25,000 reward for information resulting in the capture of a suspect.

In Anne Arundel County, Joyner appears to match the image of a person caught on surveillance cameras the night that the Cinemark Egyptian 24 multiplex in Hanover was targeted on March 10, the first of the bottle bomb incidents.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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