Court documents have revealed the connection between the University of St. Thomas and a man charged with a felony related to the university’s campus-wide lockdown on Feb. 9.
Ryan Schacht, 46, was charged with felony threats of violence on Feb. 13. In an email to all St. Thomas students, faculty and staff sent Feb. 20, Public Safety wrote that Schacht “does not pose a threat to campus” and is prohibited by a restraining order from coming to St. Thomas or contacting individuals associated with the case.
The email, co-signed by Public Safety Director Zachary DuBois and Vice President for Student Affairs Karen Lange, stated that Public Safety would be responding to the incident by increasing public safety patrols at large events and across campus, and by reviewing practices and protocols after the Feb. 9 incident.
The email stated that additional information and training opportunities would be shared with the campus soon as a response to the review.
Minnesota District Court records show that university president Rob Vischer filed for a harassment restraining order against Schacht on Jan. 23, which was issued on Jan. 26. This came after reported communication from Schacht that started on May 26, 2025.
A LinkedIn profile that appears to have belonged to Schacht indicates that he graduated from St. Thomas in 2002.
“I had never heard of (Schacht) or had any interactions with him either personally or professionally. I became UST’s President in 2023. (Schacht) graduated from UST prior to me assuming my role,” Vischer’s HRO petition stated.
That same petition shows that Schacht had started contacting Vischer in May 2025, blaming him and the university for personal, business and legal issues. Vischer wrote that most of what Schacht has tried to involve him in “is not reality-based.”
Below is a timeline of Schacht’s attempts to meet with and contact Vischer leading up to and including the day of the campus-wide lockdown.
May 2025
From the evening of May 26 to the morning of May 27, 2025, Schacht sent three emails to Vischer and left one voicemail with Vischer’s administrative assistant. At 9:09 a.m., the president informed Public Safety of the messages and that he was “concerned.”
Thirteen minutes later, Schacht came to campus to try and meet with the president. Vischer did not accept his request to meet.
The evening of May 27, Schacht emailed Vischer, “Nice try. See you soon. I’m going to make you work really hard for that money.”
On May 28, the university issued Schacht a trespass notice. They left a voicemail informing him and mailed him a copy. At 12:46 p.m. that day he emailed Vischer that he assumed that the call was a joke. Schacht emailed him again less than one hour later.
In the evening of May 28 and the morning of May 29, Schacht sent two more emails. Public Safety emailed him a copy of his Trespass Notice.
June 2025
On June 4, 2025, Schacht emailed Vischer again, suggesting that UST could be a business partner for him. At 8:25 a.m., Public Safety informed him he needed to stop communicating with university leadership about “unrelated and unsolicited business matters.”
That same day, Schacht sent three more emails to Public Safety and one more to Vischer.
October 2025
On Oct. 2, 2025, Vischer was carbon copied on two emails about Schacht’s business and personal matters.
On Oct. 3, Schacht sent an email to Vischer to “reconcile” and wrote that no one but Schacht could have “anticipated the hidden surprises that awaited.”
On Oct. 8, he requested to meet with Vischer about his business. Vischer’s restraining order petition indicates that they never met.
On Oct. 15, Public Safety once again informed Schacht that he needed to stop communicating with UST. He sent two emails back. He then sent two emails to Vischer, one with the subject line, “Don’t be a fascist.” He sent seven more emails to Public Safety across that day and the next.
On Oct. 16, Schacht sent two emails to Vischer before 4 a.m, one with the subject line, “You might want to fess up now to buy yourself some mercy.” He followed them up with three more emails later that day.
On Oct. 18, Schacht sent an email offering to meet with Vischer again.
January 2026
On Jan. 1, 2026, Schacht resumed his messages to Vischer. He sent nine emails from Jan. 1-13, including one regarding alleged crimes against himself to Brian Rich, the Minneapolis campus Public Safety manager. Vischer’s petition stated that Schacht then sent him “various emails” suggesting “foul play/interference/corruption” within the St. Paul Police Department.
On Jan. 14, Public Safety again wrote to Schacht, telling him to “stop communicating with UST personnel” and to “stop making false statements” about Vischer. Schacht responded and then sent three more emails to Vischer.
On Jan. 15, Schacht emailed Vischer again, beginning, “I cannot stand for these lies, Rob.”
On Jan. 16 and 17 he continued to respond to Public Safety’s Jan. 14 email.
On Jan. 18, Schacht sent three more emails to Vischer, Rich and others, claiming that Schacht and his family were in harm’s way and that the university was involved.
From Jan. 19-23, Schacht sent six more emails, including two claiming that he was being stalked, suggesting that a university employee was involved.
After this, Vischer filed the restraining order, and it was granted on Jan. 26. Schacht was served with the order on Jan. 28.
Feb. 9, 2026 – Day of campus lockdown
Schacht went to the Archdiocese of St. Paul at 777 Forest St. He demanded to speak to people who weren’t present and threatened to shoot himself in the head after being denied a meeting.
He then called Public Safety, stating that he was on campus, in possession of a gun, going to Vischer’s office and going to kill himself. Schacht left a voicemail on Vischer’s phone, once again demanding to meet with him. The university issued a lockdown at 12:27 p.m. because of his statements.
Schacht spoke with a Public Safety dispatcher, saying “I’m gonna kill someone,” if the dispatcher didn’t get Vischer on the phone.
After authorities determined that Schacht had not been on campus, the university lifted its shelter-in-place order at 1:15 p.m.
Feb. 10-13, 2026
On Feb. 10, Shacht sent Vischer three more emails, including one at 12:21 p.m. that read, “You stole my life from me. I’m without a business. No Family. No Money. No House. Make me whole or suffer the wrath of god.”
On Feb. 12, St. Paul Police officers were sent multiple screenshots of Schacht’s social media posts, including one from Feb. 11 showing a picture of a rifle with the word “justice.”
On Feb. 12, Schacht was charged with two misdemeanor domestic assault charges in a separate case.
On Feb. 13, he was charged with felony threats of violence in connection with the events leading to the campus lockdown. The maximum sentence is five years, a $10,000 fine or both.
He made his initial appearance in court on Feb. 17. He posted the $40,000 bail on Feb. 18. His next hearing is set for March 25.
Adam Mueller can be reached at muel7541@stthomas.edu.
