From reports first published Jan, 12 

by the West Central Tribune 

WATSON — The Watson man alleged to have posted an online threat against the University of Minnesota early Thursday was taken into custody in the late afternoon at his home in the small Chippewa County community of Watson, it was reported by the West Central Tribune.

Joseph Mark Rongstad, 41, gave himself up to law enforcement officers who had been surrounding his home for hours.

Rongstad peacefully surrendered to a SWAT team in an armored vehicle around 4:15 p.m. Thursday.

The SWAT team used a large ram on the vehicle to pop out windows and ordered the suspect to come out of the house.

Moments after the home’s door was broken open with the ram, Rongstad complied with the orders and emerged as instructed, walking backward with his hands in the air and his shirt off.

Chippewa County Sheriff Derek Olson posted news of the end of the long standoff in the small town of Watson shortly after.

The University of Minnesota had issued an alert early Thursday morning putting the Twin Cities campus on an emergency footing after a threat to shoot persons on the Twin Cities campus was posted on social media. Rongstad was named as the source of the threat. 

The alert was canceled around 1 p.m. Thursday when the university announced that the Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office had the suspect “contained in their county.”

Just before 1 p.m., a post on a Facebook page for Rongstad’s business, apparently made by him, showed a photo of a SWAT vehicle outside his home in Watson. The text on the post stated, “It’s getting good around watson…. I got the swat team hear…. Where is the FEDS at why is it just sheriff’s… o ya cause the feds are crooked in mn…. not you Duluth ones tho…Lol.”

By afternoon, squad cars from numerous agencies were in the city. In addition to the armored vehicle outside the house, a helicopter and drone were seen circling overhead by West Central Tribune staff members.

Officers could be heard on a loudspeaker trying to persuade Rongstad to come out.

Law enforcement also detoured Highway 7/59 traffic around the area. Residents for the most part sheltered in place throughout the day and hoped for a peaceful resolution.

In the late afternoon, popping sounds were heard not long before Rongstad surrendered.

He was shown in custody in the Chippewa County Jail as of Thursday evening. Sheriff Olson said in a news release that Rongstad was booked on probable cause felony threats of violence.

Criminal charges are expected to be filed this week.

According to Olson, officers have continued executing warrants and gathering evidence Thursday evening in the ongoing investigation, conducted in partnership with the West Central SWAT Team, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the FBI. 

Throughout the night of Jan. 10 and the morning of Jan. 11, Rongstad posted multiple times on the Facebook page of his business, All Time Curbing and Landscape.

The Facebook post that apparently led in part to the University of Minnesota lockdown — and appears to have since been deleted — reads in part: “Here we go AMERICA, I am heading out from watson Mn to the U of M Minneapolis mn to start killing kids this am as Joseph mark rongstad.”

Another portion reads “IM COMING FOR YA KIDS AND ITS GOING TO GET BLOODY …”

Another post spoke with threatening language, saying “If this government don’t have the total lock down of ALL university’s of Minnesota by this morning sun up watch out PARENTS what happens to your KIDS from IRAN in 2 weeks…. see something say something…. Kids will die for real amongst them u of m students.”

Three western Minnesota public schools near Watson also employed extra security precautions Thursday in response to the threat investigation: Montevideo, Lac qui Parle Valley and Dawson-Boyd. All three districts pointed out that no direct threats were made toward them.

Rongstad has a criminal history, including a felony drug conviction just last month.

On June 13, 2023, Rongstad posted on Facebook about his mental health issues as he informed his customers of delays in work while he focused on his health.

West Central Tribune staff members Tom Cherveny, Macy Moore, Levi Jones, Jennifer Kotila, Dale Morin and Susan Lunneborg contributed to this report.