St. Olaf student charged with conspiracy to commit crimes, terroristic threats released from jail

Custodians tip off police leading to arrest of St. Olaf student for terroristic threats

A discovery by St. Olaf College custodians lead to a student being arrested and charged Monday on charges of conspiracy and terroristic threats. FOX 9's Rose Schmidt has the details.

(FOX 9) - A former St. Olaf student charged with terroristic threats and conspiring to commit a crime has been released on bail.

Waylon Kurts, 20, was released from Rice County Jail on a $100,000 conditional bail and is allowed to go back to Vermont to stay with family.

Kurts was arrested earlier this month after a custodian found boxes of high-capacity magazines in a garbage can addressed to him outside a dorm. Public safety searched his dorm and found a cache of items including a tactical vest, empty ammunition boxes, gun magazines, knives, propane canisters, lighter fluid, a list of St. Olaf Public Safety radio frequencies, and a notebook with "extensive writings," according to court records.

The 20-year-old student was suspended from school and arrested in Edina the day after his dorm was searched.

During the investigation, law enforcement also searched his vehicle and found a small notebook with extensive notes on combat and guns. One page titled "things to be good at" described training to shoot people in targeted areas, including in the face, and to "shoot a lot" because people often survive being shot by a handgun, charges allege.

When police contacted Kurts family, they reported all of his firearms were in Vermont at the house as he "didn’t do any shooting" in Minnesota, according to court records.

As part of his release, Kurts is not allowed to be around firearms and family members must provide extensive documentation for the firearms currently in the home. He is also required to wear a GPS monitor, surrender all weapons, and is part of a supervision program.

His next hearing is scheduled for Aug. 15.