It was a Monday afternoon at Red Lake High School in northern Minnesota. In just 10 minutes, the final bell would ring, signaling the end of another school day. Students fidgeted in their seats, backpacks half-zipped, eyes glancing toward the clock, minds already drifting toward the freedom of the afternoon.

Then — a loud bang.

"Someone pounding on the lockers?" a student wondered.

"A janitor working in the hallway?" thought a teacher.

Then another bang. And another. Louder. Closer.

Confusion gave way to terror. These weren’t just noises.

They were gunshots.

On March 21, 2005, tragedy struck Red Lake High School in what remains the deadliest school shooting in Minnesota history — and one of the 10 deadliest in the United States. In a matter of minutes, nine people were killed: an unarmed security guard, a teacher and five students. Earlier that day, the perpetrator had also murdered his grandfather and his grandfather’s partner at home.

The attacker was a 16-year-old student described as depressed, withdrawn and deeply troubled. He often wore a long black trench coat, spent hours sketching violent imagery and shared disturbing thoughts online. He talked openly about death, suicide and violent fantasies.

In the days and months following the shooting, an FBI investigation revealed that as many as 39 people had some prior knowledge — ranging from vague comments to specific threats — that the student had been considering an attack. Some classmates remembered him talking about “shooting up the school” as far back as 2003. One friend recalled hearing, “That would be cool if I shot up the school.” Many dismissed it as an empty threat. 

There had been warning signs, but they were scattered and unconnected. Teachers, classmates and peers online noticed red flags, but no one had the framework or tools to piece it all together. There wasn’t a clear system to evaluate his comments or connect the dots between his behavior and a potential threat.

“He has been thinking that way [since 2003], and nobody gave him any help," said a parent of a victim.

“And now it's too late.”

In the years since, Minnesota has taken significant steps to make sure that tragedies like the one at Red Lake High School never happen again. One of the most important developments has been the creation of the Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) team — a specialized unit within the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).

The BTAM team focuses on identifying, assessing and managing potential threats before violence occurs. This multidisciplinary group works in partnership with law enforcement, schools and community organizations to evaluate individuals exhibiting concerning behaviors. They help coordinate intervention strategies, bridging the gap between awareness and action.

Through training, collaboration and information-sharing, BTAM equips communities to recognize early warning signs and respond effectively. It’s a proactive, holistic model rooted in the idea that targeted violence is often preventable if we act early and act together. At the BCA, professionals like Assistant Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Dressen, Special Agent Katie Gernentz and Special Agent Talisha Barlow lead this effort with dedication and expertise, helping ensure that potential threats are identified and addressed before they escalate.

"Offenders don’t just snap — they decide," said Dressen. "And before that decision, there are warning signs. Our work is about recognizing those signs and offering a different path. We’re not just trying to stop violence; we’re trying to prevent it by intervening before the choice is made."

The story of Red Lake is a painful chapter in Minnesota’s history, but it also serves as a powerful catalyst for change. It reminds us that concerning behavior often emerges long before targeted violence occurs, and without the right systems in place, those early signs can be missed or misunderstood. BTAM exists to help communities recognize and respond to warning signs early, creating a coordinated approach to prevention to ensure those signs are seen, heard, and acted upon — before it’s too late. 

Read more about the BCA's BTAM team.