{
  "id": "2024-01-11-university-of-minnesota-threat",
  "slug": "university-of-minnesota-threat-2024-01-11",
  "institution": {
    "name": "University of Minnesota Twin Cities",
    "shortName": "UMN",
    "state": "MN",
    "type": "public-r1",
    "alertSystemName": "SAFE-U",
    "enrollment": 54955
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2024-01-11",
    "type": "threat-of-violence",
    "cleryCategory": "emergency-notification",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat",
    "headline": "Social-media shooting threat kept campus on alert for six hours; man arrested",
    "headlinePublic": "Social-media shooting threat kept campus on alert for six hours; man arrested",
    "summary": "On January 11, 2024, the University of Minnesota issued a [SAFE-U Emergency](https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/u-of-m-issues-safe-u-emergency-after-receiving-shooting-threat-at-twin-cities-campus/) at 7:21 AM CST after 41-year-old Joseph Mark Rongstad posted Facebook threats to come to campus and \"start killing kids.\" The threat kept the campus on [heightened alert for nearly six hours](https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/01/11/u-of-m-issues-alert-after-specific-threat-against-twin-cities-campus) until Rongstad was contained by law enforcement in Chippewa County.",
    "outcome": "Rongstad surrendered to a SWAT team at his home in Watson, Minnesota, around 4:15 PM. He was charged with felony threats of violence and ineligible possession of ammunition. He was later sentenced to prison."
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestamp": "2024-01-11T07:21:25-06:00",
      "channel": "sms",
      "verbatimText": "U of M Twin Cities: **THREAT TO TWIN CITIES CAMPUS** Public Safety has received a specific threat to shoot persons on the TC campus from Joseph Mark Rongstad DOB 3/13/1982. Physical description is 6 feet tall, 195 lbs, brown hair, hazel eyes. No clothing or vehicle description is available. UMPD will have extra officers on campus with partner agencies. The BCA and the suspect's home sheriff agency are investigating the incident. Updates and safety tips at z.umn.edu/alerts",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceDescription": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)",
      "annotations": [
        "The alert described the threat as 'specific,' a notable departure from more generic campus safety warnings"
      ],
      "characterCount": 476,
      "sourceUrl": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-49"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "update",
      "timestampApprox": "Mid-morning on January 11, 2024 CST",
      "channel": "sms",
      "verbatimText": "U of M Twin Cities: Update to report of campus threats, the Twin Cities campus is open with normal operations. All buildings will be on UCard access only. Employees are encouraged to work from home. Updates and safety tips at z.umn.edu/alerts",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceDescription": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)",
      "annotations": [
        "Rongstad was identified as a former mayor of Watson, Minnesota, a town of approximately 200 people"
      ],
      "characterCount": 242,
      "sourceUrl": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-48",
      "timestamp": "2024-01-11T07:45:50-06:00"
    },
    {
      "sequence": 3,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2024-01-11T10:03:00-06:00",
      "channel": "sms",
      "verbatimText": "U of M Twin Cities: 2nd update to report of TC campus threats. Public Safety continues to work with State and County partners to resolve this incident. Based on their updates and a changing timeline, all employees who are deemed non-essential or non-critical are asked to work from home after checking in with their supervisor. Students and all others are encouraged to stay clear of campus until this situation is resolved. Updates and safety tips at z.umn.edu/alerts",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-47",
      "sourceDescription": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)",
      "characterCount": 468,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered from official SAFE-U emergency archive page 47"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 4,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2024-01-11T11:21:25-06:00",
      "channel": "sms",
      "verbatimText": "U of M Twin Cities: 3rd update to report of TC campus threats. There is no new information regarding this incident. Public Safety is monitoring the progress of the investigation and search for the suspect. The campus community is advised to continue to avoid campus. Updates and safety tips at z.umn.edu/alerts",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-46",
      "sourceDescription": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)",
      "characterCount": 310,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered from official SAFE-U emergency archive page 46"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 5,
      "type": "update",
      "timestamp": "2024-01-11T12:32:05-06:00",
      "channel": "sms",
      "verbatimText": "U of M Twin Cities: 4th update to report of TC campus threats. Public Safety continues to monitor the progress of the investigation and search for the suspect, but has no new information. There are multiple police and security units positioned throughout the TC campus. The public is advised to continue to avoid campus. Updates and safety tips at z.umn.edu/alerts.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-45",
      "sourceDescription": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)",
      "characterCount": 365,
      "annotations": [
        "Recovered from official SAFE-U emergency archive page 45"
      ]
    },
    {
      "sequence": 6,
      "type": "all-clear",
      "timestamp": "2024-01-11T13:02:25-06:00",
      "timestampApprox": "Just after 1:00 PM CST on January 11, 2024",
      "channel": "sms",
      "verbatimText": "U of M Twin Cities: **ALL CLEAR** Final Update to threats to TC Campus. Chippewa County Sheriff has located the suspect and have him contained in their county. TC campus may resume normal operations.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-44",
      "sourceDescription": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)",
      "annotations": [
        "Verbatim SAFE-U final update as quoted by KNSI Radio; issued just after 1:00 PM CST on January 11, 2024, nearly six hours after the initial alert",
        "The grammatically irregular 'have him contained' is preserved from the original notification",
        "Rongstad was not yet in custody at the time of the all-clear but was contained; the SWAT standoff continued until approximately 4:15 PM CST"
      ],
      "characterCount": 199
    }
  ],
  "context": "Joseph Mark Rongstad, a 41-year-old former mayor of Watson, Minnesota, began posting threatening messages on his business Facebook page late on January 10, 2024. The posts, which referenced \"mind control technology\" and an incoming third world war, turned explicitly violent early on January 11, when he wrote he was headed to the University of Minnesota to [\"start killing kids\"](https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/university-of-minnesota-minneapolis-joseph-rongstad-threat/) and that \"it's going to get bloody.\" The university's Department of Public Safety issued a SAFE-U Emergency at 7:21 AM CST, describing the threat as [\"specific\"](https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/u-of-m-issues-safe-u-emergency-after-receiving-shooting-threat-at-twin-cities-campus/). While the campus remained open, non-essential staff were advised to stay away. The [all-clear came just after 1:00 PM CST](https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/01/11/u-of-m-issues-alert-after-specific-threat-against-twin-cities-campus) when Rongstad was contained by the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office at his home, approximately 150 miles west of campus. He surrendered to a [SWAT team around 4:15 PM CST](https://www.wctrib.com/news/local/threats-suspect-gave-up-after-swat-breached-his-watson-minnesota-home) after officers breached his home. He was charged with felony threats of violence and ineligible possession of ammunition, and was [later sentenced to prison](https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/man-university-of-minnesota-campus-threats-sentenced/).",
  "keyFindings": [
    "The SAFE-U Emergency lasted nearly six hours, from the 7:21 AM CST initial alert to the all-clear just after 1:00 PM CST",
    "The suspect was located 150 miles from campus, requiring coordination between campus police and rural law enforcement",
    "UMN chose to keep the campus open during the threat, advising caution rather than issuing a shelter-in-place"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "U of M: 'All clear' after shooting threat at Twin Cities campus, suspect arrested (KSTP)",
      "url": "https://kstp.com/kstp-news/local-news/u-of-m-issues-safe-u-emergency-after-receiving-shooting-threat-at-twin-cities-campus/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "All Clear at University of Minnesota After Man Said he Wanted to Shoot People (KNSI Radio)",
      "url": "https://knsiradio.com/2024/01/11/safeu-alert-sent-to-university-of-minnesota-twin-cities-after-specific-threat-from-a-man-saying-he-wanted-to-shoot-people/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "U of M issues alert after specific threat against Twin Cities campus (MPR News)",
      "url": "https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/01/11/u-of-m-issues-alert-after-specific-threat-against-twin-cities-campus",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Law enforcement say suspect has been arrested, all-clear given (CBS Minnesota)",
      "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/university-of-minnesota-minneapolis-joseph-rongstad-threat/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "UMN students, faculty reflect following pre-semester shooting threat (Minnesota Daily)",
      "url": "https://mndaily.com/281212/top-story/umn-students-faculty-reflect-following-pre-semester-shooting-threat/",
      "type": "student-newspaper"
    },
    {
      "title": "Man who threatened U of M campus sentenced to prison (CBS Minnesota)",
      "url": "https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/man-university-of-minnesota-campus-threats-sentenced/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-49",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-48",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-44",
      "type": "official-archive",
      "accessDate": "2026-07-17"
    },
    {
      "title": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency 47",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-47",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency 46",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-46",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "UMN SAFE-U Emergency 45",
      "url": "https://publicsafety.umn.edu/safe-u-emergency-45",
      "type": "official-archive"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "high",
  "tags": [
    "threat-of-violence",
    "social-media-threat",
    "facebook",
    "minnesota",
    "big-ten",
    "safe-u",
    "swat-standoff",
    "former-mayor",
    "mental-health"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-05-02",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-18",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}