Campus Alert Archive
UST

A Threatening Message Locks Down Both Campuses Before Police Find the Sender Miles Away

MNshelter in placeemergency notificationmedium confidence

Shortly before 12:30 p.m. CST on Monday, February 9, 2026, the University of St. Thomas received a message from an individual claiming to be on campus with a firearm and threatening to harm himself, prompting a shelter-in-place order across both its St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses. The order was lifted about an hour later after St. Paul Police determined the subject was not on campus and not in the city. The man, later identified as Ryan Schacht, 46, was charged with felony threats of violence on Feb. 13.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
University of St. Thomas
Private R2 · MN
~9,000 studentsSt. Thomas Emergency Notification
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstructionUniversity of St. Thomas official newsroom statement190 chars
St. Thomas Alert: Shelter in place now. A report of a possible armed individual on campus is being investigated. Lock doors, stay away from windows, and remain in place until further notice.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from the University of St. Thomas official statement and KSTP/FOX 9 reporting that a shelter-in-place was issued shortly before 12:30 p.m. CST for both campuses after a message claiming an armed person on campus; the exact alert wording is not confirmed verbatim.
St. Paul/Minneapolis is Central Time; the February offset is -06:00 (CST).
The order covered both the St. Paul and Minneapolis campuses simultaneously, reflecting that the threat referenced 'campus' without specifying a location.
ALL CLEARSMS+57 min
Approximate reconstructionKSTP — reporting on the lifted shelter-in-place185 chars
St. Thomas Alert: The shelter in place has been lifted. St. Paul Police determined the individual is not on campus and there is no threat to the community. Normal activities may resume.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from KSTP and the university statement that the shelter-in-place was lifted about an hour after it began once St. Paul Police determined the subject was not on campus and not in the city; the all-clear wording is reconstructed.
Officers later spoke with the subject and connected him with police in his own area for resources, indicating the threat was a self-harm crisis rather than an attack on campus.
Context

Background

The University of St. Thomas operates a main campus in St. Paul and a Minneapolis campus a few miles away. Around midday on February 9, 2026, the university received a message from someone claiming to be on campus with a firearm and threatening to harm himself, and issued a shelter-in-place for both campuses shortly before 12:30 p.m. CST. Public Safety coordinated with St. Paul Police, who determined within about an hour that the subject was neither on campus nor in St. Paul; the order was lifted and classes resumed that afternoon. Officers connected the man with police near his own location to get him help. The man, Ryan Schacht, 46, was charged with felony threats of violence on February 13, 2026; the episode later drew scrutiny over communication and follow-up.
Analysis

Key Findings

A single threatening message claiming an armed person on campus locked down both St. Thomas campuses simultaneously
St. Paul Police determined within about an hour that the subject was not on campus or even in the city, allowing a quick all-clear
The incident stemmed from a self-harm threat; officers connected the man with police in his own area rather than finding him on campus
The sender, Ryan Schacht, 46, was charged with felony threats of violence four days later, on February 13, 2026
Outcome
St. Paul Police determined the subject was not on campus and not in St. Paul. Officers connected the man with police in his own area to get him resources. The university resumed classes that afternoon, and Ryan Schacht, 46, was charged with felony threats of violence on February 13, 2026.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Official
    Statement Regarding Shelter-in-Place on Feb. 9, 2026 - University of St. Thomas Newsroom
    news.stthomas.edu
  2. News
    Shelter-in-place lifted at St. Thomas after report of possible armed suspect - KSTP
    kstp.com
  3. News
    University of St. Thomas shelter-in-place order lifted: Police say everyone is safe - FOX 9
    fox9.com
  4. Student Paper
    FACT CHECK: The timeline leading up to and during St. Thomas' campus-wide lockdown - The Crest
    thecrest.news
Tags
shelter-in-placeemergency-notificationminnesotathreat-of-violenceself-harmarmed-person-report
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion