The State Patrol says they arrested a 36-year-man Saturday night, less than 24 hours after he was allegedly found naked inside the Minnesota Capitol.
Authorities say an alarm system alerted Capitol Security around 11:30 p.m. Friday that a person was in the Capitol after hours.
When Capitol Security reached the man, he was naked and nonviolent. He was taken to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.
The man allegedly returned to the Capitol grounds two more times — once on Saturday morning and again Saturday evening — before being arrested.
The man is currently being held in the Ramsey County jail and is awaiting extradition in connection with an arrest warrant from Wisconsin.
The State Patrol says it is reviewing video to determine the man’s whereabouts when he was inside the building.
The news comes a little more than a month after the killing of DFL Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark, and the shooting of state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette, and as lawmakers are considering new security measures and safety allowances for home security.
House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, released a statement after legislators were informed of the security breach that occurred overnight.
“It’s frustrating that an individual with a criminal history was able to allegedly vandalize the Capitol and unlawfully trespass in the Senate chamber without being taken into custody,” Demuth said. “Anyone who trespasses in any building — let alone the State Capitol — should be arrested and prosecuted for breaking the law, and I look forward to learning why this did not take place in this highly disturbing incident.”
Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson also released a statement, expressing disappointment regarding the major security breach.
“We are living in a heightened threat environment,” Johnson said. “I expect the State Patrol and Capitol Security teams will thoroughly review what happened and give Capitol officials and staff, and the public, their assurances that this will not happen again.”
