Man with handgun seeking Wisconsin governor arrested in state Capitol, posts bail and returns with assault rifle

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A person illegally introduced a handgun into the Wisconsin Capitol, demanding to see Gov. Tony Evers, and returned at night time with an assault rifle after posting bail, a spokesperson for the state mentioned Thursday.

The person, who was shirtless and had a holstered handgun, approached the governor’s workplace on the primary flooring of the Capitol round 2 p.m. Wednesday, state Division of Administration spokesperson Tatyana Warrick mentioned. The person was demanding to see the governor, who was not within the constructing on the time, Warrick mentioned.

A Capitol police officer sits at a desk outdoors of a collection of rooms that features the governor’s workplace, convention room and workplaces for the lawyer normal.

The person was taken into custody for overtly carrying a firearm within the Capitol, which is towards the regulation, Warrick mentioned. Weapons could be introduced into the Capitol if they’re hid and the individual has a sound allow. The person arrested didn’t have a hid carry allow, Warrick mentioned.

The person was booked into the Dane County Jail however later posted bail.

He returned to the surface of the Capitol shortly earlier than 9 p.m. with an assault-style rifle, Warrick mentioned. The constructing closes to the general public at 6 p.m. He once more demanded to see the governor and was taken into custody.

Madison police reported Thursday that the person, who was not named, was taken into productive custody and brought to the hospital. A spokesperson for the police division didn’t return an e mail looking for further particulars.

Evers’ spokesperson Britt Cudaback declined to remark. The governor’s workplace sometimes doesn’t reply to questions on safety points.

The incident is simply the most recent in a collection of violent threats towards public officers.

Evers, a Democrat, was on a success listing of a gunman suspected of fatally taking pictures a retired county decide at his Wisconsin residence in 2022. Others on that listing included Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell. Whitmer was the goal of a kidnapping plot in 2020.

Warrick mentioned no instant modifications to safety within the Capitol or for the governor have been deliberate. The general public has free entry to the Capitol day by day from 8 a.m. to six p.m. There aren’t any metallic detectors.