Man trespasses three times at Minnesota Capitol in 24 hours — once naked — arrested on Wisconsin warrant

A man who was found naked Friday inside the Senate chamber at the State Capitol and taken to a hospital for mental health evaluations was arrested Saturday night after returning to the Capitol for a third time.

Capitol security was first alerted to the man just before midnight Friday and transported him to Regions Hospital, where he managed to flee as he was getting registered for admission, according to scanner audio.

He was discovered on the Capitol grounds for a second time about 7:30 a.m. Saturday and again taken to Regions for a mental health evaluation, State Patrol Col. Christina Bogojevic said in a statement.

After the man was apparently released from Regions, he returned to the Capitol grounds again and was arrested without incident just before 7:30 p.m.

He was being held Saturday in the Ramsey County jail awaiting extradition in connection with an arrest warrant from Wisconsin, the State Patrol said.

Word of the security breach first became public about 1 p.m. Saturday when the Minnesota Star Tribune obtained a copy of an email sent to legislators by Chief Sergeant at Arms Lori Hodapp.

“The individual made statements indicating a belief that he was the governor, among other remarks,” the email read, adding that the man had an active warrant for his arrest in Wisconsin involving a probation violation.

“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," Demuth said.

According to scanner audio from Capitol security dispatch, the man, when initially confronted by officers, said he might need to see a medic and agreed he probably should go to the hospital.

Discussion on the scanner indicated the man was 36 years old and had behavioral problems but was cooperating with authorities. They noted that he was clothed when he returned to the Capitol from the hospital on Saturday morning.

The dispatch audio also makes reference to a mess left near the Senate president’s desk and flooding in a Capitol bathroom, though it’s not clear whether the man was responsible in either case.

In her statement, Bogojevic said there were no indications that the man broke into the Capitol and that the State Patrol was reviewing video to determine his whereabouts while inside the building.

Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, said in a statement he was disappointed to learn of the security breach and expected a thorough review to ensure no such incident occurs again.

“We are living in a heightened threat environment,” Johnson said.

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 in federal custody on charges in those incidents.