Letters from the President: Security threat at Minneapolis Campus

Email sent May 4, 2007
Friday’s incident on our Minneapolis Campus:
This communication is to report that there was an incident Friday afternoon (May 4, 2007) on our Minneapolis Campus. A Metropolitan State University student, referencing Virginia Tech, made a comment perceived as a threat by another student.

The student hearing the comment immediately contacted security who contacted the Minneapolis police. The student who made the threatening comment was tracked by security cameras and was quickly apprehended at the Management Education Center building. The student was immediately taken into custody by the Minneapolis police. According to preliminary information, the student was unarmed and offered no resistance when taken into custody. Since Metropolitan State is between terms, there were no classes in session in the building. Still, as a precaution, the staff in the building was allowed to leave.

Please know that we take the safety and security of our faculty, staff and students very seriously and will continue to review and refine our response to emergency situations.

Follow-up email sent May 7, 2007.
To Metropolitan State University faculty, staff and students:

On Friday I alerted you to an incident involving a student whose comment alluding to Virginia Tech was perceived as a threat by another student. The individual was taken into custody by police and we were informed that the individual was not armed and did not resist arrest; charges have been filed and the police department will notify the university if he is released from custody. However, I can assure you that Metropolitan State is taking all appropriate steps to prevent this individual from returning to any of our campuses until it is determined that no safety issues remain.

Although the alleged statement apparently was made in reaction to the results in a particular class, we have no basis to conclude that the individual who made the statement had either specific intent or plans in mind to carry out the alleged threat.

Further, we have no information suggesting that the individual has contact information for particular students, faculty or staff, or was directing the alleged threat to particular individuals.

Students who have specific concerns about this incident should direct them to Vice President Esther Peralez; faculty concerns should be raised with your dean; and other employees’ concerns should be directed to your supervisor.

Again, we take the safety and security of our faculty, staff and students very seriously and will continue to review and refine our response to emergency situations.

Wilson G. Bradshaw, Ph.D.
President and Professor
Metropolitan State University

President Wilson G. Bradshaw can be reached via telephone at (651) 793-1900, and via email at Wilson.Bradshaw@metrostate.edu. Vice President Esther Peralez can be reached via telephone at (651) 793-1522, and via email at Esther.Peralez@metrostate.edu.