University of Minnesota Issues Safety Alert After Shooting Threat

MINNEAPOLIS (WJON News) -- The University of Minnesota has issued a SAFE-U Emergency for its Twin Cities campus after a specific shooting threat.

The school's public safety department has received a threat from 41-year-old Joseph Rongstad to shoot people at the campus.

The alert was sent just after 7:20 a.m. Rongstad is described as six feet tall, with brown hair, hazel eyes, and weighs about 195 pounds.

The University of Minnesota Police Department will have extra officers on campus, along with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the sheriff's office.

An update to the SAFE-U alert indicates the Twin Cities campus is open with normal operations. Access to buildings will be via U-card only and employees are encouraged to work from home.

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