A Minnesota man was arrested Monday for throwing two tomatoes at former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. | AP photo composite by POLITICO Palin dodges tomatoes

A Minnesota man was arrested Monday for throwing two tomatoes at former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

According to police, 33-year-old Jeremy Paul Olson threw the tomatoes at Palin from a second-floor balcony in the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., while the former GOP vice presidential candidate was signing books at a Barnes & Noble.


Palin was not hit by the flying tomatoes, which instead hit two police officers standing near the former governor. Olson was arrested on charges of suspicion of assault and disorderly conduct.

Palin — who has sold more than 1 million books since starting her signing tour last month — did not comment on the incident.

Following the incident, Palin attended a private fundraiser for Minnesota Republicans that was attended by Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) among others. “I hope I can get a book and maybe get it signed,” Bachmann told reporters Monday.