Dubuque man who brought loaded gun to city council meeting faces federal charge

DUBUQUE, Iowa (KCRG) - The man arrested for trying to bring a loaded gun into a Dubuque City Council meeting is now charged with a federal count.

Federal court records show 41-year-old Austin Goodman of Dubuque is now charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person.

The Linn County Jail’s online roster shows Goodman was booked Thursday.

Because Goodman is charged with a federal count, his state charges on Interference with Official Acts While Armed with a Firearm, Assault on Persons in Certain Occupation, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Person Ineligible to Carry Dangerous Weapon have been dismissed.

Police arrested Goodman on March 3 after he entered the historic federal building at 350 W. 6th Street and up to the second floor where the council meeting was in session.

Police said they were already familiar with Goodman due to previous incidents, and they were already investigating him for a recent violation of a No Contact Order.

In a release, officers said Goodman had posted on social media that he planned to attend the meeting in an effort to “put them on notice and to protest his interactions with the Police Department and other government agencies.”

He had also posted to social media his displeasure with police and local government officials.

Goodman live-streamed himself entering the building and moving toward the meeting, which was being monitored by police officers.

Officers stopped him and arrested him as he tried to enter the council chambers. Police said Goodman resisted arrest and assaulted an officer.

Officers found a loaded semiautomatic handgun in his possession at the time of his arrest.

Federal court records show Goodman’s trial is scheduled for December 1.