Man Trespasses Minnesota Capitol Three Times in 24 Hours — Naked, Arrested on Wisconsin Warrant

Unusual Incident at the Minnesota State Capitol

A man who was found naked in the Senate chamber at the Minnesota State Capitol on Friday and taken to a hospital for mental health evaluations was arrested Saturday night after returning to the Capitol for a third time. The incident has raised concerns about security protocols at one of the most important government buildings in the state.

Capitol security first became aware of the man just before midnight on Friday. He was transported to Regions Hospital, where he managed to flee during the registration process, according to scanner audio. This marked the beginning of a series of events that would eventually lead to his arrest.

The man was discovered again on the Capitol grounds around 7:30 a.m. on Saturday and was once more taken to Regions Hospital for a mental health evaluation, as confirmed by State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic in a statement. After being released from the hospital, he returned to the Capitol grounds again and was arrested without incident just before 7:30 p.m. Saturday. He is currently being held in the Ramsey County jail, awaiting extradition related to an arrest warrant from Wisconsin.

The breach of security at the Capitol became public on Saturday afternoon when the Minnesota Star Tribune obtained an email sent to legislators by Chief Sergeant at Arms Lori Hodapp. The email stated that the individual made statements indicating he believed he was the governor, among other remarks. It also mentioned that the man had an active warrant for his arrest in Wisconsin due to a probation violation.

House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, expressed frustration over the situation, stating that the man allegedly vandalized the Capitol. She emphasized that anyone who trespasses in any building—especially the State Capitol—should be arrested and prosecuted for breaking the law. Demuth called for an explanation regarding why the man was not arrested during the initial incident.

According to scanner audio from Capitol security dispatch, the man initially confronted by officers said he might need to see a medic and agreed that he probably should go to the hospital. Discussions on the scanner indicated that the man was 36 years old and had behavioral problems but was cooperating with authorities. It was noted that he was clothed when he returned to the Capitol from the hospital on Saturday morning.

The dispatch audio also mentioned a mess left near the Senate president’s desk and flooding in a Capitol bathroom, though it is unclear if the man was responsible for either issue. In her statement, Bogojevic noted that there were no indications the man broke into the Capitol, and the State Patrol is reviewing video footage to determine his movements inside the building.

“The safety and well-being of everyone who works at and visits the Capitol is our top priority,” she said. “We take this situation seriously and are committed to understanding how it occurred as well as exploring any potential security enhancements at the Capitol.”

Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, expressed disappointment over the security breach and expected a thorough review to prevent such incidents in the future. He highlighted the current heightened threat environment.

Security at the Capitol complex has been under renewed scrutiny in recent weeks following the assassination of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark Hortman, and the shootings of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette Hoffman. The alleged shooter, Vance Boelter, is currently in federal custody on charges related to those incidents.