MADISON – A person armed with a loaded handgun demanded to see Gov. Tony Evers on the Wisconsin State Capitol on Wednesday afternoon and – after being arrested and posting bond – returned later with a loaded assault rifle, in line with state officers.
Joshua “Taco” Pleasnick arrived on the state Capitol shirtless, with a leashed canine and sporting a holstered handgun, round 2 p.m. Wednesday, in line with info on the incident offered to lawmakers and obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a part of the USA TODAY Community.
Pleasnick, 43, of Madison, approached the safety desk outdoors Evers’ workplace and stated he wouldn’t go away till he noticed the governor, who was not within the constructing on the time, spokeswoman Tatyana Warrick informed the Journal Sentinel. Police arrested Pleasnick on a cost of overtly carrying a firearm contained in the Capitol constructing, a violation of state regulation.
![Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers speaks at a campaign stop, Oct. 27, 2022, in Milwaukee. A man illegally brought a handgun into the Wisconsin Capitol on Wednesday, demanding to see Gov. Tony Evers, and returned at night with an assault rifle after posting bail, a spokesperson for the state said Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)](https://www.usatoday.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2023/10/05/USAT/71071618007-ap-wisconsin-governor-threat.jpg?width=660&height=441&fit=crop&format=pjpg&auto=webp)
Suspect says he has ‘entry to a considerable amount of weapons’
Pleasnick returned to the state Capitol hours later, at about 9 p.m., with a loaded assault rifle after posting bail. He demanded to see the governor once more and was subsequently taken into custody.
On Thursday, Madison police stated Pleasnick was taken into protecting custody and hospitalized.
“Whereas being interviewed Pleasnick stated he would proceed coming to the Capitol till he spoke to the Governor about home abuse in direction of males,” a report obtained by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel stated. “Pleasnick said he didn’t personal a car and it’s probably he has entry to a considerable amount of weapons and is comfy utilizing them.”
“Use excessive warning when in touch with Pleasnick. He needs to be thought-about armed,” Capitol police officers informed lawmakers in an alert.
Evers addresses incident at marketing campaign occasion
Evers informed reporters at an occasion Thursday that he was unhurt and had confidence state Capitol police would proceed to maintain him secure.
“I am OK. To their credit score, the Capitol police took management of the scenario and so it is over, however yeah, it is at all times one thing that’s issues you do not wish to see occur, however that is why we’ve good folks within the police departments, within the Capitol police and the State Patrol,” Evers informed reporters. “They’re doing their nice work.”
The Evers administration initially refused to reveal details about what occurred.
Evers was as soon as on gunman’s hit checklist
The incident is simply the most recent in a collection of violent threats towards public officers.
Final yr, Evers appeared on a goal checklist of a person accused of fatally capturing a retired county decide in 2022. The so-called “hit checklist” was discovered within the suspect’s car with names that included Evers, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and former U.S. Senate Minority Chief Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.
Contributing: The Related Press; Jessie Opoien of the Journal Sentinel