Journalism of Courage
An intruder broke into the Washington State Capitol building on Sunday night and smashed a glass door, toppled statues of George Washington and Martin Luther King Jr., set fire in an ornate reception room known for hosting heads of state and also set fire to a rug and flag before being taken into custody by state authorities, AP reported.
The vandal was taken into custody and the attack doesn’t seem to appear politically motivated, said the Washington State Patrol on Monday. The man has a history of mental health challenges, said Chris Loftis, spokesperson for the Washington State Patrol.
Detailing about the charges leveled against the man, Loftis said the vandal has been booked into Thurston County Jail on suspicion of first-degree burglary, first-degree arson and first-degree malicious mischief, AP reported. The man was identified as Gunnar Schubert, 29, who has been experiencing a mental health issue. The Thurston County Jail confirmed that the man has been denied bail.
“The suspect’s actions were very purposeful at the Capitol but appears to be an individual experiencing a mental health crisis of some sort,” Loftis told AP. The Washington State Patrol spokesperson added that the suspect had two hammers and he entered the building through a ground-floor office after breaking through its window, and proceeded upstairs where he damaged items as he moved through the building.
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson posted details about the vandalism of the state building on social media on Monday, where he said “There was significant damage in our State Reception Room, which is a particularly important space. We are still assessing the damage.”
The man parked his car in front of the Legislative Building in a flower bed in the flag circle at about 10:15pm and was spotted by someone with the Department of Enterprise Services who alerted the state patrol.
(with inputs from AP)
