A major police operation in Glencoe shut down First Lutheran Church and its school on Monday, with neighbors describing a heavy law enforcement presence in and around the campus. Deputies urged residents to steer clear of the area as they stayed on scene for hours.
First Lutheran told its community on social media, "Please, all teachers and students, stay off campus 'til further notice," according to KSTP. The McLeod County Sheriff's Office also asked the public to avoid a spot about a block from the church because of the law enforcement activity, and KSTP reported that the situation remained active more than 10 hours after it began. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS said it was continuing to gather details and planned to update its coverage as information was confirmed.
Local context
First Lutheran School is listed as a nonpublic PK-8 school in Glencoe by the Minnesota Department of Education. Glencoe also houses McLeod County's government center and courthouse, where the Sheriff's Office runs the county law enforcement center, according to McLeod County.
What officials have said
As of the initial reports, authorities had not yet released specifics about what prompted the police response. The sheriff's social media advisory and the church's message to its community were the only official public notices. As KSTP noted, deputies stayed on scene into the evening while reporters continued pressing the Sheriff's Office and school leaders for more details.
Next steps
County officials and local news outlets have said they will share additional information as soon as it becomes available, and this article will be updated accordingly. Until then, people in the immediate neighborhood are being asked to avoid the block around First Lutheran while law enforcement remains in place.
