MSU NEWS SERVICE
BOZEMAN – At approximately 12:15 p.m., Montana State University Police received a report of a credible threat to campus made by an MSU employee, prompting a campus-wide shelter in place order.
The situation has since been resolved and the male employee has been taken into custody without incident. The shelter in place order was lifted at approximately 2:15 p.m. No one was harmed.
An investigation is underway. The man was being interviewed by police on Thursday afternoon, and no charges had yet been filed. The man’s name has not been released.
After the report of the threat was received, officers began searching for the man. Just before 1 p.m., University Police issued an MSU Alert emergency notification instructing everyone on campus to shelter in place while the search was conducted.
According to police, the man had stated to a family member that he was ready to end his life and that he had weapons and was ready to harm others around him. Police later discovered social media posts from the man with similar messages.
Officers from MSUPD, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, Bozeman Police Department and the Montana Highway Patrol responded and helped search for the man. He was located in Norm Asbjornson Hall and taken into custody at approximately 2:10 p.m.
Police confirmed that the man owned two shotguns and a rifle, but he did not have any firearms in his possession when he was taken into custody.
MSU wishes to thank the officers from the agencies named above, as well as Gallatin County Emergency Management, for their assistance.
The MSU Alert system uses text messages, phone calls and emails to deliver critical information in the event of an emergency. All students, faculty and staff are automatically enrolled in the MSU Alert system, and members of the community, family members and others are encouraged to opt in. More information about the MSU Alert system, including instructions for enrolling for notifications, is available at montana.edu/msualert/.
