Security at the Minnesota Capitol is facing greater scrutiny after guards found a naked man in the Senate chambers late last Friday. But any major changes to security at the state government complex may have to wait until action from lawmakers and further review of security measures by the State Patrol.
State public safety leaders on Tuesday told reporters that they’ll be conducting an internal review of the circumstances that led to a 36-year-old man with mental health issues gaining access to the Capitol and Senate chambers last week.
Colonel and Chief of the Minnesota State Patrol Christina Bogojevic speaks during a press conference to discuss Capitol security concerns at the Capitol building in St. Paul on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
That comes on top of the State Patrol’s plan to hire an outside group for a “full security assessment” at the complex. It’ll be funded through the agency’s budget, though the exact cost is yet to be determined, according to State Patrol Chief Col. Christina Bogojevic.
Security boosted since fatal shootings
Officials said conversations about a review had already started following last month’s fatal shootings of former House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, at their home in Brooklyn Park and the shootings of Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their home in Champlin.
The Capitol Security division of the Minnesota State Patrol says it has boosted security at the Capitol complex since the June 14 shootings, though it has largely avoided providing specifics.
The building is open to the public during business hours and is among a minority of state capitols that do not have security measures like X-ray machines or metal detectors.
Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said more security measures are on the way, though he didn’t announce any major changes Tuesday. It likely will be up to state lawmakers to make final decisions on closing many of the Capitol’s unsecured entrances or installing new security features.
“Our preference is to work with legislative partners. Our preference is to work with those that are utilizing the Capitol,” he told reporters. “It’s the people’s house. We also want to make sure that we keep it as safe as we can. We need to walk that balance between having an open capital and that security and safety that people would expect.”
Jacobson said Capitol security is considering reducing the number of open entrances at the complex, but that they hadn’t made any final determination.
The complex, which is made up of 20 buildings, is patrolled 24 hours a day and has nearly 1,000 security cameras, according to the State Patrol. Many doors are controlled with card readers, though others are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Not all the doors have alarms to indicate when they are left open, public safety officials said.
Minneapolis man charged with trespassing
Dominic T. Peace, the Minneapolis man now facing a felony charge for trespassing in the Capitol, propped open a mechanical room door with a wooden wedge, according to the criminal complaint. He later made his way to the Senate chambers, where guards would eventually find him sitting in the Senate President’s chair.
Officers took Peace to the hospital for a mental health evaluation, though he returned to the Capitol grounds two more times before he was arrested Saturday night on an unrelated warrant from Wisconsin.
The gate at the main door the Senate Chambers at the Minnesota Capitol Building in St. Paul on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)
Law enforcement officials haven’t said how Peace gained access to the Senate, which has large, sliding wooden doors and is usually secured by a metal gate when not in session.
Bogojevic said Capitol Security was not short-staffed the night they found the intruder, and that no one on security staff has been placed on leave following the incident. Asked if anyone would be held accountable for the breach, Bogojevic said answers would come after further review.
“All of that will become more clear as we continue to look at footage, as we continue to look at what occurred in those hours when he entered the building,” she said.
Calls for review by legislative auditor
Beyond the internal and third-party reviews, there also have been calls for a special review by the Office of the Legislative Auditor, the state government’s nonpartisan watchdog agency.
Sen. Kim Gustafson, DFL-Vadnais Heights, on Monday asked the office to review security for lawmakers inside and outside the Capitol.
Legislative Auditor Judy Randall said her agency had received several requests and would make a decision after reviewing additional information over the coming weeks.
Some changes in the works
Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher has been pushing for more security at the Capitol. He’s also been critical of how agencies shared information during last month’s shootings of two lawmakers and their spouses.
In a letter this week, he continued to press Capitol security officials for answers on which agencies or individuals are responsible for notifying lawmakers and law enforcement about violent threats.
Some changes to security in the Capitol neighborhood are already in the works. Ramsey County received $3 million in state funds this year to help fund public safety efforts, including two sheriff’s deputies to patrol a 60-block area around the Capitol.
The Advisory Committee on Capitol Security, a bipartisan panel chaired by Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan, said it hopes to boost security but has so far avoided advocating for any specific changes.
The committee is scheduled to meet again in August and could discuss new measures.
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