Back to our breaking news. Violent threats launched against University
of Minnesota students and staff this morning and it sent
the school into a lockdown and police then zeroed in
on
a house that was hours away.
Those threats came into the school again this morning.
Police tied them to a
41 year old man who is living in Watson,
Minnesota, about 2 1/2 hours West of the Twin Cities
and that's where we find Rob Olson tonight.
And so Rob, we just learned that this man was
taken into custody.
So what can you tell us about the situation?
Yeah, the Chippewa County Sheriff just updating that he was
taken into custody without incident.
41 year old Joseph Ronstadt who's well known around here.
At one point he was mayor of this town
which is about 182 people still roadblocks in place around
much of the town.
You can see though back here as we zoom in,
there's one of the SWAT vehicles that is still deployed
and you can tell something was happening about
10-15 minutes ago when we saw more movement happening there.
But again, still a lot of law enforcement and again
especially the SWAT vehicles staged around this home.
More video in a minute.
But first, let's show you some of the threats that
were caught on social media this morning.
Specifically on his Facebook page,
specifically mentioning the University of Minnesota,
the one that I did very specifically.
Right here we go, America,
I am heading out from Watson,
MN to EU of M Minneapolis to start killing kids.
This AM. He identifies himself in that post and said
I'm coming for your kids
and it's going to get bloody
another post. And there were many of these posts that
went on through the night and through the morning diatribes
about various things.
But these specifically mentioned EU of M was about an
hour before that,
his first threat to EU of M If this government
don't have the total lockdown of all universities of Minnesota
by morning sunup,
watch out parents, among other things.
Again, a lot of theories and and conspiracy theories and
references to things throughout these posts.
Let's show you the chopper video from Sky Fox 9
out here this afternoon.
Again, this is a very small town,
less than 200 people, a pretty significant presence around the
home and it was in later Facebook posts where it
became evidence that he was in this home in Watson
and had not gone to the Twin Cities after all.
The Chippewa County Sheriff out here.
Montevideo Volunteer Fire Department doing roadblocks through much of the
town.
Again out there since morning because they were able to
confirm he was in there.
One of his posts though claimed he had his home
rigged with an explosive in the basement.
So that meant of course they had to be very,
very careful. Show you video from EU of M pretty
quiet on campus there already because classes don't begin until
Tuesday,
but the first safety alert going out around 7:30 this
morning after they became aware of these posts saying they
were looking for this man Joseph Ronstad and telling faculty
and staff to work from home if possible.
Further alerts saying that all campus operations were still going,
that everything was key carded to every building and again
stay and work from home if possible.
And then the all clear given this afternoon once authorities
confirmed that he was in fact here at his home
in Watson.
Back out here in Watson.
Again, this suspect taken into custody without incident,
we're told, and this situation over.
Still some roadblocks that are being cleared up here as
well.
We should mention there is a pretty lengthy criminal history
and a mental health history with this man as well.
He'd been civilly committed in 2016,
several other felony convictions for the burglary of his neighbor's
home,
who was the mayor at the time,
and another conviction after he had driven a tractor into
the front of the Watson Lutheran Church,
among other things. We'll have more on this at 6:00.
For now, live in Watson.
Rob Wilson, Fox 9. OK An incredibly tense day at
EU and also in Watson,
Minnesota. Thank you. Rob Wilson.
We'll look for your next report.