WEST BEND, Wis. — Police identified the 38-year-old man who entered the West Bend Community Memorial Library with a knife on Election Day as Michael Miecielica.

According to the West Bend Police Department, Miecielica intended to create a disturbance and provoke a police response in regard to the incident.

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, police said they received a call from the library at around 12:35 p.m. about a man who was demanding that staff “stop the voting.”

According to a criminal complaint, Miecielica went into the library's bathroom and "looked into the mirror for two to three minutes, to make sure he really wanted to go through with what he was about to do." He then walked out of the bathroom with a knife behind his back and made his way toward the polling center. Miecielica approached a library volunteer at a counter and asked them to call the police. He then raised the knife up, forcefully stabbing the countertop directly in front of the volunteer. 

When police asked the defendant what happened, Miecielica said, “I did it here because I didn’t want to disturb the children.”

Miecielica told an officer he stabbed the counter to prove he is a bad person. 

“I did it so she [the volunteer] would call the cops because I am a bad person and should go to jail,” he added.

Miecielica said it was not his intent to hurt anyone, but considered his "target" to be "political" and aimed to provoke a response, according to the criminal complaint. He told police his plan was "to wave the knife around and scream, 'I want the voting to stop. I'm sick of fascism.'" 

The criminal complaint went on to say that Miecielica said he never meant for things to go this far and that he has been scared and afraid for the past ten years because of all the political things going on.

Following the incident, the officers took Miecielica into custody.

No injuries were reported and all library staff, election officials and citizens were safe.

At the time of the incident, the library was being used as a polling location for the City of West Bend. 

As a result of the incident, voting was paused for a little over 30 minutes. After the scene was secured, and the initial investigation was conducted, the polling site was reopened.

Police said Miecielica was aware the library was a polling place and that disrupting the election process would ensure a fast police response.

Miecielica was out on bail for a previous investigation involving the posting of fliers in downtown West Bend that contained political and racial language, according the West Bend Police. 

The incident remains under investigation. Miecielica faces 12 charges that were filed by the Washington County District Attorney on Nov. 10. Charges include:

• One count of making use of threatening force, violence or restraint to compel voting or refrain from voting, with use of a dangerous weapon (felony charge)
• One count of making terrorist threats, with use of a dangerous weapon (felony charge)
• One count of endangering safety (misdemeanor charge)
• Five counts of bail jumping with use of a dangerous weapon (misdemeanor charges)
• Three counts of disorderly conduct with use of a dangerous weapon (misdemeanor charges)
• One count of criminal damage to property with use of a dangerous weapon (misdemeanor charge)

Miecielica was out on bail at the time of the library incident for five misdemeanors. He was previously charged with three counts of disorderly conduct and two counts of computer message-threaten/obscenity for an alleged incident on Oct. 31. Miecielica plead not guilty to each. He is not allowed to have contact with Badger Middle School.

Spectrum News 1 requested the criminal complaint connected to those misdemeanors. 

According to online public court records, Miecielica is not eligible for a public defender for the alleged Oct. 31 incident. Court documents said Miecielica planned to represent himself but would contact attorneys to see if he could find someone to represent him. 

A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 28 at 8:15 a.m. 

A spokesperson for the United States Attorney’s Office said there has been no federal involvement at this time, but they are monitoring the situation.

This story is developing. Check back here for the latest updates.