Suspect in U of M Shooting Threat Arrested in Chippewa County
WATSON (WJON News) -- A 41-year-old man is in custody after he allegedly made a threat to shoot multiple people on the campus of the University of Minnesota.
Joseph Rongstad surrendered to Chippewa County law enforcement after a standoff at a home in Watson Thursday.
A SWAT team in an armored vehicle used a ram to pop out windows and break down a door of the home in Watson before Rongstad surrendered.
Rongstad is accused of making threats on social media Wednesday night into Thursday morning to shoot students on the U of M campus, saying "kids will die for real."
Jake Fiscus, has been 41-year-old Joseph Rongstad's neighbor for two years:
From the time that I've known him, he's been nothing but nice. He's come over and helped clear the snow out of my driveway a few times when it was getting built up.
That being said Fiscus adds:
I do think that he should essentially have to answer to his crimes today (Thurs) but at the same time the most important thing is he needs help and everything -- I think there is going to be a fine line between finding both
Among the reasons authorities had to take the threats so seriously is that police have had many run-ins with Rongstad before.
Charges are pending but he's being held for probable cause of making violent threats.