The sanctity of our campus was shaken on Friday night when there was an accidental discharge of a firearm in Flynn Hall, one of our residence halls. St. Thomas is a weapons-free campus and the safety of our students, staff and faculty is a top priority for all on campus. We are reaching out to all St. Thomas community members to ensure you feel supported.
If you are experiencing fear or anxiety, please reach out to our student affairs, residence life, or campus ministry staff. We all stand ready to support you as you process the situation.
Last night, the student who was injured was in a separate room from the firearm and not visible to the student handling the weapon when it accidentally discharged. This was a terrible incident. The injured student was transported to the hospital. We have learned the injuries were more severe than originally identified. Surgery was required, but the student is recovering and is stable. Out of respect for the student, we are not releasing the name. Please keep the student and family in your prayers.
All involved last night were St. Thomas students. The incident is being investigated by St. Paul police as an accidental discharge of a firearm. The weapon from this incident is in police custody. The individual who discharged to weapon is not on campus. There is no current threat.
Possessing a firearm on university property is a violation of the student code of conduct. The university takes this violation very seriously and is conducting an immediate and thorough investigation. The outcome will be handled through the student conduct process.
Safety Alerts
The University issued an alert to all students, staff and faculty immediately after receiving the report. If you did not receive an alert, please log on to Murphy online and update your notifications. Many parents have asked how they can be notified as well. There are three alert sources to share with your family:
- Follow the Department of Public Safety on Twitter.
- Add your parent's phone number to your emergency alert notifications through Murphy online. Each student can register two phone numbers in addition to email addresses.
- LIKE and follow the University of St. Thomas MN on Facebook.
We appreciate the cooperation of everyone on our campus and the support from St. Paul Police Department and Ramsey County Emergency responders. Together, as a community, we all work to maintain a safe and supportive campus community.
