Man, this town is just getting more and more crazy...
A Fargo South High School security guard disarmed a gunman Friday afternoon during an altercation in a school parking lot.
The unarmed security guard saw the gun while trying to detain the man about 3:40 p.m. in the school's south parking lot.
David M. Youngquist, 37, of Fargo threatened and fought with the security guard who approached him.
Fargo police Sgt. Wayne Jorgenson said the loaded gun was concealed in a belt holster under the suspect's jacket.
Youngquist escaped while the security guard disassembled the9 mm semiautomatic.
But Fargo police officers detained him on the sidewalk south of 17th Avenue South and Park Boulevard while he was walking away from the school.
Youngquist was seen on campus earlier in the day. He was arrested and is expected to face charges of terrorizing, assault, resisting arrest and carrying a handgun on school property.
Fargo law requires a permit to carry a concealed gun. The gun must be unloaded and securely cased, Jorgenson said.
Police said Youngquist did not have a permit for the gun and they didn't know what his intentions were.
Lowell Wolff, School District spokesman, said the incident was handled properly and he does not expect any changes to school policy or procedures.
"The good news about this whole thing was the procedures worked," Wolff said. "The guard did what he was supposed to do and was able to contain the situation and immediately contact the police department."
Most of the students already were dismissed and the parking lot had cleared when the officer approached a man sitting on a curb, Wolff said.
He said the suspect remained passive and did not threaten anyone until then.
The officer used physical force and pepper spray to restrain the man and obtain the handgun.
"That's extremely brave," Jorgenson said. "He apparently knew what he was doing."
The guard has worked with A.S.P. of Moorhead Inc., for about a year and a half and has undergone a series of training sessions, said Virgil Anderson, A.S.P. manager.
The guard will begin a police academy in Alexandria, Minn., next week, Anderson said.
The unarmed security guard saw the gun while trying to detain the man about 3:40 p.m. in the school's south parking lot.
David M. Youngquist, 37, of Fargo threatened and fought with the security guard who approached him.
Fargo police Sgt. Wayne Jorgenson said the loaded gun was concealed in a belt holster under the suspect's jacket.
Youngquist escaped while the security guard disassembled the9 mm semiautomatic.
But Fargo police officers detained him on the sidewalk south of 17th Avenue South and Park Boulevard while he was walking away from the school.
Youngquist was seen on campus earlier in the day. He was arrested and is expected to face charges of terrorizing, assault, resisting arrest and carrying a handgun on school property.
Fargo law requires a permit to carry a concealed gun. The gun must be unloaded and securely cased, Jorgenson said.
Police said Youngquist did not have a permit for the gun and they didn't know what his intentions were.
Lowell Wolff, School District spokesman, said the incident was handled properly and he does not expect any changes to school policy or procedures.
"The good news about this whole thing was the procedures worked," Wolff said. "The guard did what he was supposed to do and was able to contain the situation and immediately contact the police department."
Most of the students already were dismissed and the parking lot had cleared when the officer approached a man sitting on a curb, Wolff said.
He said the suspect remained passive and did not threaten anyone until then.
The officer used physical force and pepper spray to restrain the man and obtain the handgun.
"That's extremely brave," Jorgenson said. "He apparently knew what he was doing."
The guard has worked with A.S.P. of Moorhead Inc., for about a year and a half and has undergone a series of training sessions, said Virgil Anderson, A.S.P. manager.
The guard will begin a police academy in Alexandria, Minn., next week, Anderson said.