Man threatening attack at Iowa State University graduation will be charged in federal court

Stalking charges against a Nevada, Iowa, man who was arrested last week for threatening to shoot an Iowa State University student and others during next month’s graduation ceremony will be dropped and he will be indicted in federal court instead.

Assistant Story County Attorney Tiffany Meredith, in her motion to dismiss without prejudice filed Monday in Story County District Court, said the prosecution has been informed that federal prosecutors will pursue charges against Tanner Dean Bandy, 28, for this same incident. She asked the court to dismiss the stalking-possession of a dangerous weapon count and five charges of first-degree harassment.

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A judge hadn’t granted the dismissal as of Tuesday. Bandy also hasn’t been charged or indicted in federal court yet, according to federal court records.

The Story County Attorney’s Office requested the court dismiss the case without prejudice, meaning the charges could be reinstated in the event it wants to proceed with state charges after the federal case is resolved.

Bandy was accused of stalking and harassing his ex-fiancee, an ISU student, since October 2024. According to criminal complaint filed last week, the threats escalated in April, when he told the woman he planned to buy an AR-15 and "figure out how many people I can cut down” at the graduation ceremony May 16.

Bandy’s threats became more violent in April and his voice messages focused on his plan to shoot the woman and other people at the ceremony. On April 4, the Ankeny Police Department responded to a call for service involving Bandy. During his interaction with officers, Bandy said he always carries a Glock 19 handgun and kept it in his car glove box.

On April 15, Bandy’s graphic messages told police to “stay ready” because he was going to start “killing people” with an AR-15 at the graduation ceremony, according to the complaint.

The next day, Bandy made attempts to renew his permit to acquire firearms at both the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and the Nevada Police Department, the complaint stated. He was referred to the Story County Sheriff’s Office because he lived in Nevada and was arrested during his attempt to renew his permit.

Investigators said a search warrant was obtained at his residence and officers found guns and ammunition, investigators said.

Broken relationship

According to the complaint, the woman broke off her relationship with Bandy and she moved out of a residence they shared in October 2024. Bandy then started calling her phone, leaving threatening voicemails and showing up at her residence, her family’s homes and other places she regularly went.

The woman told investigators she hadn’t responded or spoken to Bandy since November 2024. Around Thanksgiving, Bandy was seen on a doorbell video camera driving by both the woman’s parents’ and grandparents’ houses, the complaint stated.

The woman took her dogs to a boarding business two times a week, which Bandy knew, and the owner of the business in November 2024 reported seeing Bandy sitting in his car in the parking lot for extended periods of time, according to the complaint.

It also said that a friend saw Bandy waiting outside the woman’s residence. When the friend approached him, Bandy asked the friend to not mention his presence to his ex-fiancee.

According to the complaint, Bandy’s threats, since January, started to become more concerning as he expressed his desire to kill the woman. On Jan. 26, he told her, in a voicemail, that if he saw her anywhere in Ames that he was going to shoot her in the face, the complaint said.

On Feb. 1, she was leaving her home and saw Bandy sitting in his car parked in front of her house. She went back inside and her roommate went outside and also saw Bandy in his car, the complaint shows. He left a few minutes later.

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