Campus Alert Archive
UMN

Social-media shooting threat kept campus on alert for six hours; man arrested

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MNthreat of violenceemergency notificationhigh confidence
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Confirmed Threat

On January 11, 2024, the University of Minnesota issued a SAFE-U Emergency 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 until Rongstad was contained by law enforcement in Chippewa County.

Alerts
6
Response
—
Killed
—
Injured
—
Institution
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Public R1 · MN
All UMN cases →
~54,955 studentsSAFE-U
Official alert policy
Read when and how UMN says it will use SAFE-U: summarized, quoted, and analyzed.
Documented Timeline

Alert Sequence

6 messages in sequence · 6 verified verbatim

Confirmed wording is transcribed character-for-character from a primary source. Use Verify this quote under each message to open that source in a new tab and compare the text yourself.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Verified verbatim476 chars
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
Verify this quote
UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)publicsafety.umn.edufind archived copies
The alert described the threat as 'specific,' a notable departure from more generic campus safety warnings
UPDATESMS+24 min
Verified verbatim242 chars
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
Verify this quote
UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)publicsafety.umn.edufind archived copies
Rongstad was identified as a former mayor of Watson, Minnesota, a town of approximately 200 people
UPDATESMS+2h 42m
Verified verbatim468 chars
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
Verify this quote
UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)publicsafety.umn.edufind archived copies
Recovered from official SAFE-U emergency archive page 47
UPDATESMS+4 h
Verified verbatim310 chars
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
Verify this quote
UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)publicsafety.umn.edufind archived copies
Recovered from official SAFE-U emergency archive page 46
UPDATESMS+5h 11m
Verified verbatim365 chars
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.
Verify this quote
UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)publicsafety.umn.edufind archived copies
Recovered from official SAFE-U emergency archive page 45
ALL CLEARSMS+5h 41m
Verified verbatim199 chars
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.
Verify this quote
UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)publicsafety.umn.edufind archived copies
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
Message elements

How the first alert is built

To check this alert, Claude (an AI) read it in full 25 separate times, independently. Each read decided whether the message answers each of the six questions and gave a short reason. A final reviewer then weighed all 25 and wrote the plain-English verdict you see when you open a row. The score (for example 22/25) is how many reads agreed; the 25 individual reads are tucked underneath if you want to check them.

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

  • Sourcepresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous: attributed to 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety,' clearly identifying the issuing authority.

    Who is sending the alert and who is responding. People act faster on a message from a clearly identifiable, credible sender, such as a named department, the police, or a branded alert system, than on an anonymous notice. A branded signature counts.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: Signed "U of M Twin Cities" and names "Public Safety" as the receiving/issuing authority.
    2. present: Identifies 'U of M Twin Cities' Public Safety as the sender.
    3. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' identify sender
    4. present: identifies 'U of M Twin Cities' and Public Safety as sender
    5. present: Branded 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' identify sender.
    6. present: 'U of M Twin Cities: ... Public Safety has received'
    7. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'UMPD' named
    8. present: Branded lead 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'UMPD' identify the sender.
    9. present: Named 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' as issuer.
    10. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'UMPD' named.
    11. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' identify sender.
    12. present: Attributed to 'U of M Twin Cities: Public Safety.'
    13. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' named as issuer.
    14. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety has received' identify sender/authority.
    15. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' identified as issuer.
    16. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' identified as sender.
    17. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' named.
    18. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' named
    19. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' named
    20. present: Identifies 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' as issuer.
    21. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' names institution and 'Public Safety' as issuer
    22. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' named
    23. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'Public Safety' named.
    24. present: 'U of M Twin Cities' and 'UMPD' named as issuing authority.
    25. present: Begins with 'U of M Twin Cities: Public Safety has received...'
  • Hazardpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous: a 'specific threat to shoot persons on the TC campus' names the hazard explicitly.

    What the threat actually is. A complete warning names the specific danger, such as a shooter, a fire, a tornado, or a gas leak, rather than a vague emergency, because people decide what to do based on what they are facing.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: States a "specific threat to shoot persons on the TC campus."
    2. present: States a 'specific threat to shoot persons' as the hazard.
    3. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' names the hazard
    4. present: names a specific threat to shoot persons on campus
    5. present: States specific threat to shoot persons on campus.
    6. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons'
    7. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons'
    8. present: States a 'specific threat to shoot persons'.
    9. present: Names a 'specific threat to shoot persons'.
    10. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' names hazard.
    11. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' names the hazard.
    12. present: States a 'specific threat to shoot persons on the TC campus.'
    13. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' names the hazard.
    14. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' names the hazard.
    15. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' names the hazard.
    16. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' names the hazard.
    17. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' names the threat.
    18. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' named
    19. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons'
    20. present: States 'specific threat to shoot persons'.
    21. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' names the hazard
    22. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons'
    23. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' named.
    24. present: 'specific threat to shoot persons' names the hazard.
    25. present: States a 'specific threat to shoot persons' on campus.
  • Locationpresent25/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous: 'the TC campus' is given as the location.

    Where the threat is. Saying whether danger is in a specific building, a part of campus, or area-wide lets people judge their own proximity and choose a safe direction. Without a where, a warning is hard to act on precisely.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. present: States "the TC campus" as the location.
    2. present: States 'the TC campus' as the location.
    3. present: 'on the TC campus' gives location
    4. present: 'TC campus' names the location
    5. present: States 'TC campus'.
    6. present: 'on the TC campus'
    7. present: 'on the TC campus'
    8. present: Identifies the 'TC campus'.
    9. present: 'TC campus' names the location.
    10. present: 'TC campus' given.
    11. present: 'TC campus' gives location.
    12. present: 'TC campus' names the location generally.
    13. present: 'TC campus' named.
    14. present: 'on the TC campus' gives location.
    15. present: 'TC campus' gives location.
    16. present: 'TC campus' given.
    17. present: 'TC campus'.
    18. present: 'on the TC campus' referenced
    19. present: 'on the TC campus'
    20. present: States 'the TC campus'.
    21. present: 'TC campus' named as location
    22. present: 'TC campus'
    23. present: 'TC campus'.
    24. present: 'TC campus' gives location.
    25. present: States 'on the TC campus'.
  • Guidanceabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous: no direct protective action is instructed to recipients; the message only describes officer deployment and points to a link for safety tips.

    The protective action to take. A clear, specific instruction, such as shelter in place, evacuate, avoid the area, or run-hide-fight, drives faster and more correct protective behavior than describing the threat alone.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. absent: Only points to a link for "Updates and safety tips," giving no direct instruction in the text.
    2. absent: No protective action instructed to recipients, only describes officer deployment.
    3. absent: No protective action instructed to recipients, only officer deployment described
    4. absent: no instruction telling recipients what protective action to take, only notes extra officers
    5. absent: No protective action instructed, only describes officer deployment.
    6. absent: No instruction to recipients, only describes officer response
    7. absent: No protective instruction, only that officers will be present
    8. absent: No protective action is instructed to recipients, only that UMPD will add officers.
    9. absent: No protective action told to recipients, only describes officer response.
    10. absent: No protective action instructed to recipients, only describes police response.
    11. absent: No direct protective instruction to recipients given.
    12. absent: No instruction telling recipients what protective action to take.
    13. absent: No direct protective-action instruction, only that officers will be present.
    14. absent: No direct protective action instructed to recipients.
    15. absent: No protective instruction to recipients, only describes officer deployment.
    16. absent: No protective action instructed to recipients, only says UMPD will have extra officers.
    17. absent: No instructed protective action to recipients, just officer presence info.
    18. absent: No protective action instructed to recipients directly
    19. absent: describes officer response, not instructions to recipients
    20. absent: No direct protective instruction to recipients, only notes extra officers deployed.
    21. absent: No protective action told to recipients, only describes officer deployment
    22. absent: only points to a website for 'safety tips', no direct instruction
    23. absent: No protective action instructed to recipients.
    24. absent: No direct protective instruction to recipients, only notes UMPD will have extra officers.
    25. absent: No protective instruction; only notes extra officers and a link.
  • Timeabsent0/25

    Final assessment

    Unanimous: no clock time or date is given for when the threat was made or received.

    When the message applies. A timestamp, the word now or immediately, or a phrase like until further notice tells the reader whether the danger is current and how quickly to act.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. absent: No clock time, date, or immediacy word is given.
    2. absent: No clock time, date, or recency marker given for the threat.
    3. absent: No clock time or recency marker given
    4. absent: no clock time or date given, only 'received'
    5. absent: No clock time or date given.
    6. absent: No clock time or date given
    7. absent: No clock time or date given
    8. absent: No clock time or date for when the threat occurred is given.
    9. absent: No clock time or recency given for the threat.
    10. absent: No clock time or date given.
    11. absent: No specific clock time or date given.
    12. absent: No clock time, date, or recency marker for when the threat occurred.
    13. absent: No clock time or explicit recency word given for when threat was received.
    14. absent: No clock time or date given, only that extra officers 'will have' presence.
    15. absent: No clock time or date given for the threat.
    16. absent: No clock time given for the threat.
    17. absent: No clock time or date given.
    18. absent: No clock time or date given
    19. absent: no clock time or date given
    20. absent: No clock time or date given for the threat.
    21. absent: No clock time or date of the threat given
    22. absent: no clock time or date given for the threat
    23. absent: No specific time given.
    24. absent: No clock time or date given for when threat occurred or alert sent.
    25. absent: No clock time or date for the threat given.
  • Impactpresent20/25

    Final assessment

    A clear majority found that 'threat to shoot persons' inherently conveys potential lethal harm, even without further elaboration. A minority felt this only names the hazard without a separate stated consequence, but most reads treated the shooting threat itself as sufficient stated severity.

    What the hazard could do to the people in its path. Beyond naming the threat, a complete warning conveys its potential consequences or severity, such as that a tornado can level buildings or that a leak could be explosive, so recipients grasp how much danger they are in. Research on warning message content finds that a concrete impact statement helps people personalize their risk and act sooner.

    See all 25 individual reads
    1. absent: No statement of what the threat could do beyond naming it.
    2. absent: No additional statement of severity beyond naming the threat itself.
    3. present: Threat to shoot persons implies life-threatening danger
    4. present: threat 'to shoot persons' explicitly conveys potential lethal harm
    5. present: Threat to shoot persons conveys severe potential harm.
    6. present: Threat 'to shoot persons' clearly conveys potential for deadly harm
    7. present: Threat 'to shoot persons' implies lethal harm
    8. present: 'threat to shoot persons' explicitly conveys potential lethal harm.
    9. absent: No explicit statement of harm beyond naming the shooting threat.
    10. present: 'threat to shoot persons' conveys life-threatening danger.
    11. present: 'threat to shoot persons' conveys lethal potential.
    12. absent: No stated consequence beyond naming the threat to shoot.
    13. present: 'threat to shoot persons' implies life-threatening potential harm.
    14. present: 'threat to shoot persons' conveys life-threatening potential.
    15. present: 'threat to shoot persons' conveys life-threatening danger.
    16. present: 'threat to shoot persons' explicitly conveys lethal danger.
    17. present: Threat to 'shoot persons' conveys deadly potential.
    18. present: 'threat to shoot persons' conveys life-threatening danger
    19. present: threat 'to shoot persons' conveys deadly potential harm
    20. present: Threat to 'shoot persons' conveys potential lethal harm.
    21. present: 'threat to shoot persons' clearly conveys lethal potential harm
    22. present: 'threat to shoot persons' conveys lethal danger
    23. present: Threat 'to shoot persons' conveys potential lethal harm.
    24. present: 'threat to shoot persons' conveys lethal potential harm.
    25. absent: No stated consequence beyond the threat itself.

Systematic AI judgments with visible reasoning, not human-validated codings.

About this analysis
Context

Background

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" 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". While the campus remained open, non-essential staff were advised to stay away. The all-clear came just after 1:00 PM CST 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 after officers breached his home. He was charged with felony threats of violence and ineligible possession of ammunition, and was later sentenced to prison.
Analysis

Key Findings

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
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.
Provenance

Sources

Every claim on this page is meant to be checkable. Open the links below (and the Verify this quote control under each confirmed alert) to read the original university, news, or archive page yourself. Hostnames are shown so you can see where you are going; archived copies survive when live pages move or disappear. See also our methodology.

  1. News
    U of M: 'All clear' after shooting threat at Twin Cities campus, suspect arrested (KSTP)
    kstp.com
    archived copy
  2. News
    All Clear at University of Minnesota After Man Said he Wanted to Shoot People (KNSI Radio)
    knsiradio.com
    archived copy
  3. News
    U of M issues alert after specific threat against Twin Cities campus (MPR News)
    mprnews.org
    archived copy
  4. News
    Law enforcement say suspect has been arrested, all-clear given (CBS Minnesota)
    cbsnews.com
    archived copy
  5. Student Paper
    UMN students, faculty reflect following pre-semester shooting threat (Minnesota Daily)
    mndaily.com
    archived copy
  6. News
    Man who threatened U of M campus sentenced to prison (CBS Minnesota)
    cbsnews.com
    archived copy
  7. Official
    UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)
    publicsafety.umn.edu
    archived copy
  8. Official
    UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)
    publicsafety.umn.edu
    archived copy
  9. Official
    UMN SAFE-U Emergency (official)
    publicsafety.umn.edu
    archived copy
  10. Official
    UMN SAFE-U Emergency 47
    publicsafety.umn.edu
    archived copy
  11. Official
    UMN SAFE-U Emergency 46
    publicsafety.umn.edu
    archived copy
  12. Official
    UMN SAFE-U Emergency 45
    publicsafety.umn.edu
    archived copy
Cite this case

Campus Alert Archive. "University of Minnesota Twin Cities: Social-media shooting threat kept campus on alert for six hours; man arrested." Incident of January 11, 2024. Added May 2026; last updated July 2026. https://campusalertarchive.com/case/university-of-minnesota-threat-2024-01-11/

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Alert text quoted on this page remains the work of the issuing institution; the archive is a secondary source.

Tags
threat-of-violencesocial-media-threatfacebookminnesotabig-tensafe-uswat-standoffformer-mayormental-health
Added May 2026Updated July 2026Via ingestion