Complaint: Man charged after bringing knife to West Bend polling site, sending threatening emails to candidates

WEST BEND, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The West Bend man accused of using a knife to threaten a polling place on Election Day is now facing amended charges for sending hate messages to two candidates.

Monday a judge set bond for 38-year-old Michael Miecielica at $50,000 for making terroristic threats and election threats on Election Day.

Body camera video shows the moments when Miecielica was taken into custody for allegedly pulling out a knife at a polling place on Election Day and demanding staff stop the voting.

We're also learning Miecielica was arrested just days before for allegedly posting hate messages throughout West Bend, and sending them to the Senate candidates.

Body camera video shows a responding officer yelling to Miecielica: "Sir, drop the knife. Back away, get on the ground. Palms out, do it now."

Miecielica was stabbing the library counter with a hunting knife when the officers first saw him. The library was being used as a polling place on Election Day.

As Miecielica lay on the ground, officers asked him, "Do you have any other weapons on you, sir?" Miecielica said, "I have box cutters in my backpack, like four." The officer told him, "Do not reach for your backpack or you will be shot, do you understand?" Miecielica said, "Yes."

Miecielica remained motionless as officers took off his backpack and put him in handcuffs.

At one point in the video, he thanked the arresting officers, who then asked him, "You ok? Need any medical attention at all?"

Miecielica replied, "I probably should have a psych eval."

He later told a police captain he was a bad person who should go to jail.

Just days before Miecielica was arrested for allegedly posted dozens of handwritten hate messages in downtown West Bend, according to new court documents. Some were found at a middle school, others at a pizza place.

The messages included in the criminal complaint include racial slurs, sexual epithets, Nazi slogans, and threats of sexual violence.

One note found at the post office referenced Senate candidate Mandela Barnes hanging from a tree.

Photos of the notes were emailed to Senator Ron Johnson's press office and bcc'd to a general inbox for Barnes.

The email to Johnson said, "love how you guys have been running this campaign. It inspired me to post all of these flyers and more all around West Bend (sic)."

Miecielica was identified as the note-writer through surveillance video. He admitted to investigators he put up the notes, but claimed he was a liberal who was trying to hurt Republicans.

Two of the counts Miecielica faces are felonies, 15 are misdemeanors. He'll next appear in court Nov. 28.