By Jessica Bies

The Mankato Free Press

MANKATO — A Minnesota State University student died after shooting himself on the second floor of the campus library Monday afternoon.

He was later identified by campus officials as 27-year-old junior philosophy major Timothy Lee Anderson of Mankato.

The Mankato Department of Public Safety received reports that there was a potentially suicidal male on campus at 3:52 p.m. They arrived on scene, set up a perimeter and began searching for him.

They found him in Memorial Library at 4:30 p.m., according to Public Safety officials. At that point, Anderson turned the gun on himself and committed suicide, officials said.

Students and staff were immediately evacuated from the area. They lingered outside and in the university’s student union, watching as police surrounded the building.

University officials sent out a message via the university’s emergency alert system at about 5:15 p.m. letting students know they were in no immediate danger.

As of 6:15 p.m., the library was partially reopened. Students were allowed to access the lower level, first floor and third floor, while portions of the second floor remained closed.

Students Garret Fitzsimmons and Kayla Kermode were on the other side of the second floor when the incident happened. They said they didn’t hear anything but that police told everyone to evacuate within 30 seconds.

A student named Josh, who didn’t give his last name, said he was 5 to 10 feet away when the incident occurred. He said police were there within seconds.

Counseling and mental health support is available to students in wake of the incident. Resources are available online at www.mnsu.edu/counseling/ and students can reach the MSU Counseling Center weekdays at 389-1455.

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