Potential mass shooting at private Minnesota college thwarted

(Waylon Sieber Kurts, booking photo, Image credit: Northfield Police Department)

Waylon Sieber Kurts, 20, is a student at a private college in Minnesota who has been arrested and charged after getting busted with a mixed bag of mass shooting paraphernalia, including knives, military gear, ammo magazines, and a “a hand-drawn map of a site on campus and chilling shooting instructions.”  Officials also recovered a notebook that contained a series of notes on how a shooter can get the best bang for his buck during a mass shooting, according to KSTP.

ANOTHER school shooting allegedly prevented,

as Waylon Kurts in Minnesota was found with what authorities said were plans and the gear to carry it out. pic.twitter.com/kXS9SR3Ptv

— ThatUmbrellaGuy (@ThatUmbrella) April 11, 2023

Kurts, who was attending St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, was arrested on April 6 after college officials reported to police that suspicious gun-related items had been discovered at one of the college dorms.  When St. Olaf College Public Safety Officers searched Kurts’ dorm room, they recovered materials they believed were connected to a potential planned mass shooting event.  Those items recovered during a search of Kurts’ room included two knives, a tactical vest, six propane canisters, gun earmuffs, pistol and rifle magazines, an empty box of ammunition, fireworks, lighter fluid, a battery with wires, a lock pick set, and other items, including a notebook.

Inside the notebook, investigators discovered some jarring, damning and detailed materials including hand-drawn maps showing exits paths and how and what kind of ammo to steal from Walmart.

Waylon Kurts, 20, was arrested last Thursday – A student at a private Minnesota college has been hit with a slew of charges over his cache of ammunition magazines, knives and a tactical vest — along with a hand-drawn map of a site on campus and chilling shooting instructions,… pic.twitter.com/B8mMypBkyn

— Landon (@Ivylgeexec) April 12, 2023

ABC-5 News also reported that officials found a second notebook in Kurts’ car with more handwritten notes including a section entitled “Things to be Good at,” that read:

• “Within 7 yards make every shot as fast as you can prep trigger. 2-3” circle
• “7/10 people shot with handguns survive. Shoot a lot
• “Shoot a person in 3 areas:
  • “Upper thorasic,
  • “T-zone on face,
  • “Pelvis is a good target,
• “Train these areas.”

Kurts was charged with conspiracy to commit second-degree assault and conspiracy to commit threats of violence, making terroristic threats and planning a theft, according to The New York Post.  He’ll be back in court on April 21.  If found guilty on the charge of making terroristic threats, that penalty alone could be five years in jail and up to a $10,000 fine.

For more on the Waylon Kurts story, see the video accompanying this article.

Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today   /   Follow Richard on Facebook, Twitter& Instagram