On Election Day, a man from Michigan was arrested at the U.S. Capitol while bearing potentially dangerous items including a flare gun and a torch lighter. Austin M. Olson, 27, of Westland, was taken into custody by U.S. Capitol Police after he was caught during the security screening process at the Capitol Visitor Center, as reported by
CBS News Detroit
.
According to the authorities, Olson had walked into the visitor center and placed his jacket and bag on the conveyor belt of the X-ray machine; the officers manning the screening noticed suspicious items, which triggered a more thorough search that turned up the flare gun, lighter, and fuel, Olson also smelled of fuel, as if he had doused his clothing with it said the police in statements obtained by both
The Detroit News
and
Audacy
.
Investigators subsequently unearthed a manifesto and a letter addressed to Congress amongst Olson’s possessions, the contents of which revealed his perspectives on conflicts in the Middle East. The discovery of these items and Olson’s intentions necessitated the closure of the Capitol Visitor Center as well as the suspension of public tours for the day.
“If our officers did not stop this man, yesterday would have been a very different story than this one,” Capitol Police Chief J. Thomas Manger emphasized in a statement stressing the importance of the arrest during what he described as a “heightened security environment,” the significance of their actions was highlighted in his statement. The man’s vehicle was located and cleared by a K9 unit and full investigative efforts are underway to determine Olson’s motives, the details of which were shared by both
CBS News Detroit
and
The Detroit News
.
The arrest comes at a time when security concerns are heightened around key government buildings, especially on significant days such as Election Day. Olson has been charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, unlawful activities, and disorderly conduct. The ATF, FBI, and DC Metropolitan Police are assisting Capitol Police in the ongoing investigation, according to
Audacy
.
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