St. Paul Police: St. Catherine Security Guard Arrested, Shooting Self-Inflicted

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Police say they have arrested the security guard who was shot on St. Catherine University's campus Tuesday night.

The shooting happened just before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in a wooded area near Cleveland Avenue. The security guard, identified as 25-year-old Brent Patrick Ahlers,  was shot in the shoulder after he told police he confronted a suspicious person in the area. He was taken to Regions Hospital, treated and later discharged.

At the time, police said Ahlers was unarmed, as are all security officers at the university.

For the next four hours, St. Paul Police put the campus on lockdown while officers searched for the shooter, building-to-building, throughout the neighborhood.

In a news conference Wednesday night, police said details of Ahlers's story did not match up as investigators questioned him. Ahlers eventaully admitted to police he had brought his personal handgun to work and accidentally shot himself. He told police he made up the story about the suspect for fear of losing his job.

Police say Ahlers is charged with one count of falsely reporting a crime -- a misdemeanor.

Following announcement of the arrest from St. Paul Police Wednesday night, St. Catherine University president Becky Roloff released a statement saying, in part:

"While we are distressed and saddened that this incident occurred, we are relieved that no other members of the community were injured."