U.S. Capitol Police arrested a man who tried to enter the Capitol Visitor Center with a torch lighter, a flare gun, bottles of fuel and papers he said he intended to deliver to Congress on Election Day.
It happened just before 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, when Austin M. Olson, of Westland, Michigan, who authorities said smelled like fuel, tried to go through the visitor center screening process.
The Capitol Visitor Center closed after Olson entered and tours for the rest of the day were canceled.
Police said that he traveled to the D.C. area from Michigan on Monday with a “manifesto” and a letter to Congress in tow. In the letter was Olsen’s opinions on the war in the Middle East, according to a news release.
Thomas Manger, Chief of the U.S. Capitol Police, said the incident began when Olson approached the visitor center slowly and was looking around before officers instructed him to put his backpack on a conveyor belt for screening.
Manger said Olson hesitated before following the instructions of the officer but was “very compliant” with police.
“As soon as his backpack and his jacket went into the screening area, U.S. Capitol Police officers staffing screening the area saw what appeared to be something in the shape of a firearm,” Manger said.
He said officers also saw two bottles of fuel in the backpack.
As Olson was standing there, one of the officers reportedly “noticed a faint odor of gasoline, and when they pulled the backpack off the conveyor belt, they noticed a much stronger scent of gasoline,” Manger said.
“We found a flare gun, a lighter and a torch lighter in his jacket,” Manger said.
He added that one of the bottles with fuel found in the backpack was leaking and that’s what caused the strong odor of gasoline that the officers smelled.
“It did not appear that he had doused all of his clothing. There was some of his clothing that smelled like gasoline, but not all of it. So it’s really unknown at this point what his intention was there,” Manger said.
Olson told investigators he was here to send a message to Congress, and the torch and flare gun were to “light up the message in fire,” with the goal of “gaining viral media attention to spread his message.”
Police said they later found the suspect’s vehicle at 9th and Maryland Avenue NE. They said it was “cleared” around 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
Olson was charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, unlawful activities and disorderly conduct. He also faces one federal charge of unlawful activities for carrying a potentially dangerous weapon on the grounds of the Capitol Building.
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