The Minnesota man was arrested after pointing a handgun at assistant manager Mike Olson’s chest while complaining that gym patrons were exercising without wearing face masks.
After the gun was seen by assistant manager Mike Olson, an Iraq war veteran, he tackled Florhaug and disarmed him, removing the ammunition from the handgun.
Olson said that he “knew that it had to be done. It didn’t take much thinking. It was more of a reaction.”
According to the complaint, Mr. Florhaug came into the gym and complained to an employee at the front desk that gym members were inside without marks on.
When assistant manager Olson stepped in and told Florhaug that the gym lacked the staff to enforce the state mask mandate, Florhaug yelled at Olson and called him ‘dumb’ and said he intended to photograph members around the gym.
Florhaug then pulled out a gun on Olson before putting the gun back in his sweatshirt pocket. As Florhaug walked toward the front of the gym, Olson tackled him from behind, disarming Florhaug before removing the ammunition, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.
Once the police arrived, Florhaud dismissed any concerns about endangering anyone at the gym, saying he only “flashed the gun.”
Florhaug was charged in connection to the incident in Ramsey County District Court with “assault with a dangerous weapon”.
