Former football player charged, accused of making threats to William Jewell College

A former William Jewell College football player was charged in Clay County court Tuesday after allegedly threatening students and staff over the weekend, according to a press release from Liberty Police Department Capt. Matt Kellogg.

Jacob A. Raczkowski, 25, faces a first-degree terroristic threat charge, according to the press release.

At 9:45 p.m. Saturday, Liberty communications officers received a call from someone claiming they were going to “start shooting” at a specific building on the William Jewell campus, Kellogg said.

Officers that responded to the campus determined the caller, believed to be Raczkowski, was not there, Kellogg said. Leadership at the college was notified of the incident and extra police and security presence were placed at the campus.

According to a probable cause statement, a corporal with the Missouri State Highway Patrol attempted to stop Raczkowski Sunday after learning he was wanted on a felony warrant for larceny out of Laclede County.

Raczkowski pulled into the parking lot of a Casey’s General Store, where he allegedly rolled to a “brief stop” and shouted at officers out of his window, according to the probable cause statement.

When the Missouri State Highway Patrol officer exited his vehicle and began to give Raczkowski commands, the man “rapidly accelerated away” and merged onto the highway, according to the probable cause statement.

Raczkowski allegedly continued to travel at speeds over 100 mph, according to the probable cause statement. After a tire on his car blew out in Pettis County, Raczkowski fled into a nearby wooded area.

William Jewell closed around 7 p.m. Sunday, Kellogg said.

Raczkowski was apprehended around noon Monday, according to the probable cause statement.

Raczkowski is a former member of the William Jewell football team, according to a picture posted to his Hudl profile. However, the man is not listed on any current or previous William Jewell football rosters.

“I am committed to being respectful to the coaching staff and believe I bring maturity, life experience, and motivation into the locker room,” Raczkowski said on his NCSA college recruiting profile.

Raczkowski graduated from Bishop LeBlond High School in St. Joseph in 2018, according to the recruiting profile.

He is being held on a $100,000 bond, according to the press release. No further court hearings are set in the case.