A man was charged Sunday morning for setting a fire outside the Vermont office of U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders.
Man arrested for setting fire at Sen. Bernie Sanders' office; motive remains unclear https://t.co/98e24URecw
— The Associated Press (@AP) April 7, 2024
ABC News adds more to the story:
Shant Soghomonian entered the building on Friday, continued to Sanders’ third-floor office.
Soghomonian is then seen on security video spraying a liquid on the door and lighting it.
The building’s interior suffered some damage from the fire and sprinklers that doused the area with water, but no one was hurt. Sanders, an independent, was not in the office at the time.
Soghomonian was arrested Sunday on a charge of using fire to damage a building used in interstate commerce, according to a statement from Nikolas Kerest, the U.S. attorney for Vermont.
The motive for the event is unclear, and is currently detained with no initial court appearance date set.
The crime officially carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.
The case is being investigated by police departments in Burlington, Shelburne and Williston; Vermont State Police; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and U.S. Capitol Police.
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!