MN Campus Shooting Plot Case Ends With Misdemeanor Conviction

Northfield, MN (KROC-AM News) - The criminal prosecution of a former St. Olaf College student who was charged almost three years ago in what was described as a campus shooting plot has come to an end with a guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge.

Twenty-three-year-old Waylon Kurts was originally charged in the spring of 2023 with felony counts of conspiracy to commit second-degree assault, conspiracy to commit threats of violence, and terroristic threats. The original complaint also listed a misdemeanor theft count.

Suspicious Items Found in Dorm Room

The charges against the Vermont man stated that a custodian at the Northfield college discovered two empty packages for high-capacity gun magazines in a garbage can outside the campus dorm that were addressed to Kurts. That led school officials to search his dorm room, where they found a list of suspicious items that included firearm magazines, knives, a tactical vest, and a notebook containing St. Olaf Public Safety radio frequencies, along with a map of the campus recreation facility and a plan to steal ammunition from a Walmart store.

Banned From Campus

Kurts was suspended and banned from campus prior to his arrest in the Twin Cities the following day. The criminal complaint says a cell phone in his possession contained text messages between Kurts and another person involving discussions about handheld radios and listening to various frequencies, machining parts to build rifles, purchasing firearms from unlicensed dealers, and shipping items to different locations so the packages would not raise suspicions among campus safety officials.

The court document also states that investigators discovered a small notebook in Kurts' vehicle that contained detailed notes on gun combat and how to shoot people with a handgun.

Evidence Suppressed by Rice County Judge

The criminal case against Kurts largely fell apart in April 2024 when a Rice County judge issued a ruling that barred prosecutors from using evidence found during the searches of his dorm room and vehicle after determining that investigators lacked probable cause. The judge's order also dismissed the most serious charges against Kurts but allowed the case to proceed on the felony terroristic threats charge.

READ MORE:  Judge drops some charges against ex-Minnesota college student

Plea Agreement Reduces Charges to Misdemeanor

Kurts entered into a plea agreement yesterday and admitted to an amended charge of misdemeanor public nuisance in exchange for the dismissal of the terroristic threats charge and the misdemeanor theft count. He was sentenced to one year of probation and fined $300.

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