‘Militia of God’ leader in psych hold after hitting cop

An IU student who has been posting fliers titled “The Militia of God” was incarcerated in 72-hour psychiatric hold after he assaulted an IU Police Department officer Wednesday.

After refusing to talk with IUPD officers, the suspect elbowed IUPD officer Hilary Aydt in the mouth, causing her to bleed.

He is facing battery and resisting law enforcement charges that could drop depending on the results of his psychiatric evaluation and what Bloomington Hospital doctors recommend to the IUPD, said IUPD Capt. Jerry Minger.

IUPD responded to a call at the IU School of Optometry building at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday because the student was muttering things to himself and punching his wrists.

The student was not doing anything illegal, so police did not arrest him when they arrived in the building, but they did drop him off at the IU Health Center to speak with a psychiatrist.

Roughly two hours later, IUPD officers arrived again to the optometry building after the student was reported to have left the health center when he should not have, Minger said.

Officers found the suspect on the third floor of the library in the optometry building, seated at a computer.

Officers asked him to log out of the computer so they could speak with him outside the library. The suspect did not believe the officers were legitimate police officers even after Aydt showed him her badge.

After asking him a second time, he still would not comply and proceeded to open a word document on the computer. Officers recognized the document, which was titled “The Militia of God,” because it has been abundantly posted around campus.

“Which is not illegal, but very concerning,” Minger said.  

After officers told him that he had to come with them, he became belligerent and told officers that he was the leader of “The Militia of God” and that the officers were criminals. He then elbowed Aydt in the mouth.

The two officers brought the student to the ground and pepper spray was used on him.

More IUPD officers and an ambulance arrived to the scene.