Ron Blair, the Wisconsin state employee who is alleged to have used a knife to stab a red, heart-shaped balloon in Wisconsin's capitol building on Monday has been arrested. The Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) released a statement earlier today saying that the employee has been arrested on suspicion of "endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon."
The worker apparently injured himself during the incident. He allegedly approached a protester and popped the balloon she was holding. He is also alleged to have battered the protester when she followed him in an attempt to find out who he was so she could file a complaint. Blood was found on the capitol floor and a stairwell after he fled the capitol.
Red, heart-shaped balloons have become a symbol of protest in Madison. One of the first protest actions against Governor Scott Walker's union-busting bill earlier this year was the delivery of balloons and petitions to Governor Walker's office for Valentine's Day. Some balloons "escaped", and one of them managed to survive near the top of the capitol rotunda for months.
Charges have not yet been filed by the Dane County District Attorney. The DOA, which oversees both the arrested employee and the Capitol Police who investigated the incident, has placed the alleged balloon killer on paid leave.
There isn't much more to the story. I haven't yet found the statement released by the DOA.
A bit more detail here.
UPDATE Here is the DOA Statement:
Capitol Police Chief Charles Tubbs reports that the state employee involved in the incident at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Monday was arrested and charged today by the Capitol Police with endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon. The case is now before the Dane County District Attorney.
Separately, the State is continuing its investigation of this same incident from a personnel perspective under civil service procedures. The employee has been placed on paid administrative leave until such time as the investigation is concluded. In keeping with State policy, there will be no further comment on the personnel related issues in this matter.