The Saga of the MPR Raccoon

**Record scratch**

**Freeze frame**

"Yup, thats me. You're probably wondering how I ended up in this situation. Well, it all started when . . ."#mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/UI6oMtoNbg

— Ohidur Choudhury (@ochoudhury22) June 13, 2018

Thousands of people have been holding their breath for a couple of days now, because a raccoon has been climbing the outside of a high-rise building in St. Paul. It was first spotted on Monday, perched in a niche on the 7th floor of the Town Square building.

This poor raccoon apparently got itself stranded on a ledge of the Town Square office building in downtown St. Paul, likely on an errant mission to raid pigeon nests on the skyway over 7th Street. It's been there for two days now, without food or water. @mprnews pic.twitter.com/fVI5pmdCWq

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 12, 2018

When local office workers tried a rescue operation, the creature jumped to the nearby 25-story UBS Tower, where it climbed to the upper floors. Attorney Sheila Donnelly-Coyne watched the raccoon in the window of her 23rd-floor office, where the windows do not open.

The office also had seen some firefighters filtering through. Donnelly-Coyne said authorities set up live traps on the roof, together with some cat food to entice the little one to climb just a few floors more. She says the firefighters told her office that other measures — such as reaching for the animal with window washing equipment — would very likely scare and "endanger the animal." So for now, the high drama has become a waiting game.

The #mprraccoon is doing a little grooming now that he's a social media star. You know, on a 23rd floor window ledge. @MPRnews pic.twitter.com/pGcwh7OJ6L

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 12, 2018

The TV stations KARE11 and WCCO set up livestreams so everyone could watch the critter's progress. Crowds gathered in the streets below. Someone launched a Twitter account under the name The MPR Raccoon. 

I made a big mistake. #mprraccoon

— The MPR Raccoon (@TheStPaulRacco1) June 12, 2018

Folks nationwide began to follow the story, as the raccoon climbed to various floors. James Gunn, director of the Guardians of the Galaxy movies who has a soft spot for raccoons, offered a reward.

I'll donate a thousand bucks to the non political charity of choice to anyone who saves this raccoon. I can't handle this. Poor dude. https://t.co/2F5reAKkKa

— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) June 12, 2018

Last night, people began to breath a little easier when the raccoon started climbing down the building.

The #mprraccoon is that little dark spot up on the building. He's coming down, one floor at a time. Four stories so far. pic.twitter.com/emHwCh8gts

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 13, 2018

But that didn't last long. He/she descended to the 16th floor, then reversed and went back up! And then, about 2:30 this morning, the raccoon made it to the roof!

On top of the world! #mprraccoon pic.twitter.com/8DBqKafMP4

— Raccoon Brand® (@raccoonbrand) June 13, 2018

There's no word yet on whether the raccoon went for the cat food or made it to the traps. You can follow the story on Twitter.

Update: Good news! -Thanks, Edward!

Top floor law firm @donnelly_law says UBS building management has told them the #mprraccoon formerly in their window HAS BEEN TRAPPED.

— Tim Nelson (@timnelson_mpr) June 13, 2018

And so we can wrap up the saga of the MPR Raccoon with a music video.

What you've all been waiting for... #MissionImpossible #MPRraccoon @kare11 @ElleryTV @DPet_KARE11News @timnelson_mpr pic.twitter.com/SZKNem45yf

— Alicia Lewis (@alicialewisKARE) June 13, 2018