Cops: College Student Planned 'Mass Casualty Event'

A student at a private college in Minnesota planned "a mass casualty event" that was prevented by a tip from a school custodian, police say. After the St. Olaf College custodian spotted packages for high-capacity magazines in a garbage can on April 5, a search of a student dorm turned up magazines, knives, a tactical vest, firearm earmuffs, propane canisters, fireworks, lighter fluid, a battery with wires, and a lock pick set, police allege, per the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Police say they also recovered notebooks containing a hand-drawn map of the college's recreational facility with "arrows delineating a path of travel, apparently an exit path," as well as police radio frequencies and details of a plot to steal ammunition from a Walmart, per KSTP.

Waylon Kurts, a 20-year-old sophomore and member of the track team, was arrested Thursday in the college town of Northfield. He intended to target the Skoglund-Tostrud recreational building and "both firearms and explosives would be used in an attack," according to the Rice County Attorney's Office. Though no guns were found in the dorm, Kurts had guns, including an assault rifle, at his family home in Montpelier, Vermont, police allege, per CBS News. While family members claimed Kurts wasn't shooting in Minnesota, police say he visited a shooting range and gun shop in Burnsville "several times to shoot." Kurts, who authorities say had help in planning the alleged attack, also discussed buying guns from unlicensed sellers with an unidentified person.

Kurts allegedly texted with this person about buying and building guns and shipping items to different locations to avoid suspicion, per KSTP. He also allegedly sent photos of a box of rifle magazines on a campus bench with the message, "Kids've got no idea whats in here, haha." Held in jail, Kurts—who police say also had notes on where on the body to shoot a person and how to kick down a door—is facing charges including conspiracy to commit second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit threats of violence, and making terroristic threats. Defense attorney Paul Rogosheske counters that the camper and hunter who "shoots a lot" with his family made no threats. As for the map, he claims Kurts "draws a lot of maps" and this one was for someone else. (More terror plots stories.)