Suspect in Rosemount Standoff Formally Charged

A Rosemount man faces a felony charge after instigating a two-hour SWAT team siege last weekend. 

Timothy Richard Nelson, 32, is charged with one count of making terroristic threats, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Nelson allegedly threatened mass murder against anyone in the vicinity of his home, a townhouse on the 3000 block of Coleshire Path in Rosemount. Police received a suspicious phone call at about 8:34 p.m. Sunday. The caller stated that he was mad at anyone with a "bleeding heartbeat," and told the dispatcher that he was about to start taking out his neighbors.

The Rosemount Police Department quickly identified the caller as Nelson. The department was already familiar with the suspect, who had previously threatened suicide on a crisis call.

Officers called Nelson back. According to the criminal complaint, when they got Nelson on the phone, he began making additional threats, saying he had weapons and he was going to start shooting people in the populous townhouse development. He claimed to have a 50-caliber sniper rifle, an AR-15, a 12 gauge, an AK-47 with a grenade launcher and 2,000 rounds of ammo. Nelson allegedly told police that he wasn't planning to kill law enforcement, but would shoot "anyone without a badge."

Nelson also told the Rosemount PD that he had booby trapped his home with explosives.

Nelson's threats kicked local law enforcement into high alert.  Rosemount Police called in a SWAT team and several other law-enforcement entities, which assisted in setting up a perimeter around his home. Several news agencies reported that an automated emergency alert was sent out to 300 residents, asking them to stay indoors and turn the lights off.  

After two hours of negotiating, Nelson surrendered peacefully. The criminal complaint states that he refused to answer questions about the threats. No weapons were found in his residence.

Nelson has no previous criminal record, other than a handful of traffic violations.

Nelson remains in custody at the Dakota County Jail, though he is eligible for conditional release. He is currently being held on a $125,000 bond, though he could be free on $50,000 of bail if he agrees to comply with court orders. 

An omnibus hearing is scheduled for Feb. 12. 

See other coverage connected to this incident: 

• In Rosemount standoff, man who threatened neighbors is arrested, police say
• Rosemount man surrenders after standoff with police
• Man in custody after police standoff (KARE 11)