Police arrested a Wisconsin man Wednesday after he allegedly took a handgun to the state Capitol and demanded to see Democratic Governor Tony Evers. He then returned to the building early Thursday morning allegedly armed with an assault rifle, according to multiple reports.
The unidentified man reportedly showed up to the state Capitol shortly after 2 p.m. on Wednesday. He was shirtless and allegedly armed with a handgun and holding a dog on a leash, Wisconsin Department of Administration spokesperson Tatyana Warrick told CNN in a statement.
Officials say a man with a handgun showed up at the Wisconsin Capitol demanding to see Gov. Tony Evers (D) on Wednesday, was arrested, and posted bail.
In the evening, he returned to the statehouse with an assault rifle and was taken into protective custody. pic.twitter.com/hR4jB6HbLM
— The Recount (@therecount) October 5, 2023
He walked up to the security desk and said he wouldn’t leave until he saw the Governor, per CNN.
Evers told reporters he was ok after the incident, according to CNN.
“Yeah, it’s always something that … you don’t want to see happen,” he said. “But that’s why we have good people in the police departments, in the Capitol police and the state patrol. They’re doing their great work.”
Capitol Police reportedly arrested him for allegedly carrying a firearm in the state capital and took him to Dane County jail without incident. Authorities seized his gun as evidence and turned his dog over to the city’s Animal Control department, per CNN.
He posted bail shortly after and returned to the Capitol later that night, still demanding to see the Governor, this time allegedly armed with an AK-47, CNN noted. (RELATED: Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules Political Appointees Don’t Have To Leave Post In Blow To Democrats In State)
Police reportedly searched him and found a collapsible police baton in his backpack.
Police took him into custody for psychiatric evaluation following a “concerning statement” he made, according to CNN.
The identity of the man is currently unknown. A spokesman for the Governor’s office, Britt Cudaback, declined to comment, citing a policy on matters of the Governor’s safety, CNN reported.