Former University of Hawaii employee charged after alleged death threats

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A former University of Hawaii employee has been federally charged for allegedly posting videos on Instagram, threatening to kill two university employees.

Claire R. Chun, 47, made her initial appearance at Honolulu federal court Monday after she allegedly “knowingly and willingly transmitted in interstate commerce a communication” via Instagram posts threatening to kill an employee and another employee and her family.

A telephonic preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 31. Chun remains in custody at the Honolulu Federal Detention Center.

Chun worked at the University of Hawaii at Manoa’s Information Technology Services Department since 2011 and resigned Sept. 19, according to the university.

Last week, the two victims filed separate petitions for a temporary restraining order against Chun. One of the victims is described as Chun’s former co-worker and the other is Chun’s former advocate who assisted Chun with a couple of work place grievances. The former advocate indicated in the petition that she noticed a decline in Chun’s mental health.

The federal criminal complaint alleged Chun posted a video on Instagram in September and allegedly threatened to harm a UH employee who had filed a workplace violence complaint against Chun. According to the complaint, Chun posted a video on her Instagram account saying, “I will (expletive) kill you. I will kill you myself and nobody will know.”

Chun also threatened to enter the ITS building and poison, stab and shoot the victim, the complaint said. The victim told a federal agent she did not leave her apartment for about a week because of the threats.

In another Instagram video posted earlier this month, Chun allegedly threatened to kill her former advocate who was assigned to assist Chun with a couple of work place grievances, the complaint said. The victim told a federal agent that Chun became upset with her for calling to check on her.

Though Chun resigned from the university, the complaint alleged Chun blamed the victim for being fired and threatened to kill her and her family.