DES MOINES, Iowa — A Nevada, Iowa man accused of threatening a mass shooting at Iowa State University has now been charged federally in the case.

Tanner Bandy is charged with stalking his ex-girlfriend, who he had dated for about 10 years. Federal court documents said the pair broke up in October of 2024. The documents claim Bandy sent multiple threatening text and voice messages to the victim between January 26^th and April 15^th in 2025. Among them were threats to beat the victim and murder her by shooting her in the head.

Some of the messages contained threats of a mass shooting at the ISU commencement ceremony at C.Y. Stephens Auditorium on May 16^th, 2025. The criminal complaint said the victim was graduating at the ceremony.

According to the complaint, on April 16^th the Iowa DNR notified Iowa State University Police about an individual shooting at a printed-out Facebook photo of a person at an Iowa City shooting range. Bandy’s vehicle was spotted by a license plate reader as being in Iowa City around the time of the incident. The vehicle and gun described as being seen at the shooting range were similar to those owned by Bandy

That same day, Bandy tried to renew his Iowa permit to purchase firearms documentation with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and the Nevada Police Department but was unable to because of his current residence. He was directed to the Story County Sheriff’s Office.

On April 17^th when he attempted to renew the permit to purchase firearms at the Story County Sheriff’s Office, Bandy was arrested on multiple state charges of first-degree harassment and stalking – possession of dangerous weapon.

A search of Bandy’s car and residence turned up a Glock pistol and a Winchester 12-gauge shotgun as well as ammunition. Investigators also found a printout with details about the ISU commencement ceremony taped to his bathroom mirror, as well as the date, May 16^th, handwritten below the information.

Bandy is being held in federal custody. A detention hearing is scheduled for May 1^st at the Federal Courthouse in Des Moines.