A Cottage Grove man has been accused of threatening to use an AK-47 rifle to shoot students at Park High School.
Tyler James Giebner, 18, has been charged with felony terrorist threats. The Washington County attorney’s office issued an arrest warrant for Giebner Friday.
If convicted, he could be sentenced to five years in jail.
Giebner’s initial threat allegedly was made after an argument over a bicycle, and he repeated the threat several times.
The following account is according to the criminal complaint:
Giebner’s mother, who was not identified by name, called Cottage Grove police on Wednesday after hearing from Giebner that he intended to buy a gun and “shoot up either someone’s house or a school.”
Police interviewed Giebner in his home on 77th Street.
Giebner told police he had left a bicycle at a friend’s house in Oakdale several weeks ago. He said that friends promised to give him a ride home with the bicycle, but when he arrived they refused to do so.
“Giebner stated that this was an issue of respect and that he was not getting enough respect from his friends,” said the complaint.
His mom picked him up and gave him a ride home. Giebner then threatened to get the assault rifle and shoot people at the high school.
He told police his friends were trying to sell him a handgun and an AR-15 assault rifle — the type of gun used to kill 17 students at a Florida high school in February.
Giebner said he couldn’t afford to buy the weapons, but that once he saved enough money from his job in a fast-food restaurant, he would.
He described to police what would happen next: “Walk in there and pow, pow, pow.”
Giebner said he was having difficulty controlling his anger. He described himself as “like a pop bottle that, when shaken, has its top explode off.” When he pops, he said, “It is not going to be pretty.”
After speaking with police, Giebner was taken to Regions Hospital for evaluation.
There, a social worker reported that Giebner repeated the threat, adding that on Friday he was getting paid and he would buy a gun and “go to Park High and shoot students.”
Washington County Attorney Pete Orput said in a news release: “The welfare of our kids is of paramount importance. In the current climate of multiple school shootings, an overpowering law enforcement response is appropriate and necessary.”