St. Paul Technical College locked down after gun report

St. Paul police have been searching the St. Paul Technical College campus since late this morning after a student reported seeing a man with a gun.

Police have not confirmed the sighting of a man with a gun, but are taking extra precautions.

Police spokesman Sgt. Paul Schnell said investigators are sweeping the main building and escorting classrooms of students outside one by one.

Student Andy Schneider said in a text message “waiting for SWAT to take us out of the building.”

Police are investigating the report by questioning others who were in the building at the time and by checking surveillance video.

Schnell said after evacuating all the students and staff, police will do another sweep to make sure no one is hiding in the building.

A dozen police cars, the K-9 unit, and officers in SWAT gear were also on the scene.

Day classes have been canceled, but university officials say evening classes will go as scheduled.

St. Paul College is located in cathedral hill, four miles east of St. Thomas. Roughly 8,000 students and 500 staff make up the school’s population.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.