Law enforcement surrounds Watson, Minnesota, home of suspect in alleged threat to University of Minnesota

Tom Cherveny And Susan Lunneborg, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·2 min read

Jan. 11—WATSON — A portion of the city of Watson is effectively shut down this afternoon as law enforcement surrounds the home of a suspect in an alleged threat.

Joseph Mark Rongstad, 41, is the man identified by the University of Minnesota in an alert early Thursday. He allegedly posted a threat on social media "to start killing kids" on the Twin Cities campus.

The alert was canceled around 1 p.m. when the university announced

in an updated alert

that the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office had him "contained in their county."

Posts made this afternoon on a Facebook page for Rongstad's business, apparently made by him, say he is inside his Watson home and that he could see law enforcement officers outside.

West Central Tribune staff in Watson report there is a heavy police presence there, and officers earlier could be heard on a loudspeaker trying to persuade the man to leave his house.

Watson opened its city hall and the Lutheran church opened its doors for people who cannot return home due to the law enforcement perimeter, but no one was making use of the temporary shelter as of 3 p.m. Thursday.

Law enforcement has Minnesota Highway 7 blocked and is diverting traffic around the suspect's home, which has a view of the highway.

Squad cars from many agencies are in the city, an armored vehicle is outside the house, and a helicopter and drone have been seen circling overhead. An ambulance on standby could be seen as well.

Among the responding agencies are the Chippewa County Sheriff's Office, the Minnesota State Patrol and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The Montevideo Fire Department has assisted with traffic control, and the state Department of Transportation also has staff responding. A snowplow could be seen blocking one road.

The Sunshine and Whiskey filling station is open and doing business, but customers are not chatting about what is taking place.

"Doing a lot of business?" one young man mischievously asked, receiving only the faintest of a smile in response.

Officers in squad cars are hurriedly instructing anyone stopping in the vicinity of the house to "get outta there, you're in the line of fire."

For now, it's a waiting game as townsfolk and law enforcement alike hope for a peaceful resolution.