Waukesha County Man Charged In Paintball Attack Against Soldiers

Waukesha WI

22 March, 2021

12:00 PM

Description

WAUKESHA COUNTY, WI— A Waukesha County man who is believed to be a QAnon supporter was charged after firing a paintball gun at Army reservists at the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Pewaukee on March 15, prosecutors said. Ian Alan Olson, 31, of Nashotah was charged in federal court Friday with attacking U.S. servicemen on account of their service and assaulting officers. A $2,500 signature bond was set, according to online court documents. Olson's next court appearance is scheduled for Wednesday. Olson was earlier charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court with two misdemeanor counts of attempted battery and one count of disorderly conduct. Olson drove a car spray-painted with QAnon slogans to the reserve center, according to a criminal complaint. He shouted, "This is for America," before shooting paintball rounds, the complaint said. After he shot the paintballs, Olson's gun appeared to jam and he yelled "You're lucky it jammed," the complaint said. At that point, the reservists tackled Olson to the ground and held him until police arrived, the complaint said. Olson told officials while in custody that he had just returned from Washington, where he attempted to deliver a message, the complaint said. Olson on March 3 told a National Guardsman that he was "maybe going to do something crazy stupid tomorrow" and asked them not to shoot him, the complaint said, citing U.S. Capitol Police. Olson said he would cause a "mass casualty" event and that people would remember his name, the complaint said. "I am ready for this. How many people need to die for a message to get across?" he said, according to the complaint. Reporting and writing from The Associated Press was used in this report.