Man Arrested for Bringing Handgun to Wisconsin Capitol, Returning with Assault Rifle

U.S. NEWS

    A man who illegally entered the Wisconsin Capitol while carrying a loaded handgun and demanding to see Gov. Tony Evers was arrested, and he later returned to the Capitol with an assault rifle after posting bail, according to the police.

The shirtless 43-year-old man approached the governor's office on the first floor of the Capitol around 2 p.m. on Wednesday, stating that he would not leave until he saw Governor Evers to discuss 'domestic abuse towards men.' However, Evers was not in the building at the time.

Capitol police took the man into custody for openly carrying a firearm in the Capitol, which is against the law. Weapons are permitted in the Capitol if they are concealed, and the person has a valid permit, but the arrested man did not possess a concealed carry permit.

He was initially booked into the Dane County Jail but later posted bail. Later in the evening, around 9 p.m., he returned to the Capitol, which had already closed, carrying a loaded assault-style rifle and a collapsible police baton in his backpack. Once again, he demanded to see the governor and was taken into custody.

The police bulletin indicated that the man might have access to a large number of weapons and was comfortable using them.

While Capitol police named the suspect, no charges had been filed as of midday Thursday.

Madison police reported that the man was taken into protective custody and transported to the hospital.

Gov. Evers confirmed that Capitol police had handled the situation, and he declined to comment on potential security changes for himself or the Capitol building.

The incident is part of a series of violent threats against public officials, including Gov. Evers, who was previously on a hit list created by a gunman suspected of fatally shooting a retired county judge in Wisconsin in 2022. The list also included other officials like Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

According to Tatyana Warrick, a spokesperson for the state Department of Administration, there were no immediate plans to change security measures at the Capitol or for the governor. The public currently has unrestricted access to the Capitol daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and there are no metal detectors in place."