Economist Tyler Cowen’s Attacker Identified as John Pendleton

The man who attacked economist
and George Mason University professor Tyler
Cowen with pepper spray yesterday has been identified as
John Pendleton. Economic Policy Journal points
out that Pendleton has previously commented on
Cowen’s blog, Marginal Revolution, accusing Cowen of hacking his
computer and sexually harrassing him for several months. 

In
a comment posted March 17, 2014, Pendleton wrote: 

What better place to do prison research than inside a
prison?

If the police and FBI won’t arrest you for hacking my
computer and sexually harassing me over the past several months, I
will do it myself—in the next couple weeks before school starts
again. Either way, one of us is going to prison 

I will entertain settlement offers at the email address
provided.

Sincerely,

Jonathan E Pendleton 

Yesterday afternoon, Pendleton made good on these threats,
busting into Cowen’s classroom as Cowen was teaching a class (on
vigilante justice, ironically enough). According to Arlington
County Police spokesman Dustin Sternbeck, Pendleton entered the
classroom, stood up on a desk, and announced that he was placing
Cowen under “citizen’s arrest.” Pendleton then attempted to
handcuff Cowen and, when Cowen resisted, sprayed him in the face
with pepper spray.

A student tried to intervene and Pendleton struck him with a
stun gun, according to Sternbeck. Cowen fled the room, with
Pendleton chasing and eventually catching up to him in the hallway
and trying once again to place him in handcuffs. 

Police eventually apprehended Pendleton, who was taken to the
Arlington County Police Department. He has been charged with
“assault by caustic substance” and abduction, and is being held in
a detention facility.