Election Day arrest at US Capitol armed with flare gun, gasoline was Westland man

WESTLAND, Mich. (FOX 2) - FOX 2 was at Austin Olson’s apartment in Westland – neighbors said he was quiet - normal, even.  One neighbor said a few days ago he actually read Olson’s manifesto and said it was good almost like poetry.

Olson was arrested at the US Capitol for bringing a flare gun, torch lighter, and gasoline.

"You never know about people," said Crystal Rodgers, a neighbor. "A quiet person. I see him out here reading a book up under the tree reading a book."

Olson was reading and apparently writing a manifesto which he read to another neighbor – not this husband and wife.

"He seemed to be a pretty nice guy," said Victor Rodgers, a neighbor. "We would speak, we'd see him coming in and out of the building. I'd characterize as a pretty good fella."

But as Victor’s wife said – you never know about people.

On Election Day, Olson, who lives in Westland – allegedly made the eight-hour drive to Washington DC, showed up at the capitol, walked into the South Entrance, approached by Capitol police – and was told to go through security screening.

"One of the officers noticed a faint odor of gasoline," said Chief J. Thomas Manger, US Capitol Police.

And on the backpack an even stronger scent – inside- two bottles of it, a flare gun and lighter torch.

Plus – he had some kind of manifesto that had in part, some of his views on the war in the Middle East.

"He had papers with him he said his intent was to deliver them to Congress," Manger said.

Manger said that Olson did have some things in his backpack that he might have wanted to set on fire, and described his clothing that day as layered, too much for the weather.

"It is really unknown at this point what his intentions was," he said.

Digging into Olson’s past – FOX 2 did find he had a DUI arrest from about five years ago out of Canton.