MSU Locked Down After Employee Threat – Suspect in Custody
The Campus at Montana State University in Bozeman was in lock down for several hours on Thursday after an employee who was about to be fired threatened to harm himself and others.
MSU Police Chief Frank Parrish spoke with reporters after the incident in which those on campus were ordered to shelter in place.
The interview was captured on Facebook by KBZK TV in Bozeman.
“At approximately 12:15 p.m. today, MSU police received a report of a threat made by an MSU employee,” said Parrish. “The suspect stated to a family member that he was ready to end it all, he has all of his guns loaded and he was ready to take out anyone with him. We later discovered a social media post stating ‘all I can say right now is f--- this life, I am ready to check out.’”
Parrish described the actions taken next.
“MSU police issued an emergency alert utilizing the county’s emergency alert system instructing all persons on campus to shelter in place,” he said. “Units from MSU PD, Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and the Bozeman Police Department responded and began looking for the suspect. He was located through law enforcement means and taken into custody without incident at the NORM building at Grand and 7th. Everyone is safe and the university has resumed normal operations.”
Parrish said the suspect was scheduled to appear at a dismissal hearing on Thursday afternoon, meaning he was about to be fired.
The name of the suspect has not yet been released and he is being booked into the Gallatin County Detention Center on as yet undetermined charges.