Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office ID’s Person of Interest in Minnesota School Lockdowns
Byron, MN (KROC-AM News)- Law enforcement has identified the man whose behavior initiated lockdowns at schools in four southeastern Minnesota communities.
Read More: Lockdowns Initiated at Schools in Byron, Kasson, Dodge Center & Hayfield
Byron High School issued the first lockdown around 9:20 Thursday morning. Within the next hour, Kasson-Mantorville, Triton and Hayfield schools also initiated lockdowns.
Byron and Kasson-Mantorville have since lifted the lockdowns.
Authorities: Man Who Published Threatening Facebook Video Outside of Byron High School Initiated Southeast MN School Lockdowns
The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office identified the man who prompted safety concerns as 55-year-old Daniel James Lewison.
He published a profane-laced Facebook video from outside of the Byron High School around 9:00 Thursday morning. In the video he appears to level threats against current and former public officials in southeastern Minnesota.
Viewer Discretion Advised: Video below Contains Profane and Threatening Language
School officials and law enforcement indicated the schools were never threatened and that the lockdowns were initiated out of an abundance of caution.
As of Thursday afternoon Lewison has not been taken into custody. The Olmsted County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information regarding his whereabouts to call 911.
Court records indicate Lewison has a criminal history that dates back to 1990. It includes convictions for felony burglary, officer assault and multiple DWIs. Most of the cases occurred in Steele and Dodge Counties.
In September of 2022, Lewison was convicted of felony fleeing and felony DWI in Dodge County. He was given a 15 month prison sentence.
Lewison appealed the DWI conviction in December of 2022 and an appellate judge ruled to uphold the conviction.
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