A man who reportedly set a fire outside the Vermont office of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders was arrested and charged by police, according to reports.
Shant Soghomonian, 35, headed to Sanders’ third-floor office on Friday, where security video showed him spraying a liquid on the door and setting it on fire.
While the building’s interior suffered some damage, sprinklers managed to douse the fire, and no one was hurt.
Sanders was not in the office at the time.
Fox News reported:
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 remained unclear. Soghomonian was detained Sunday and could not be reached for comment. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer, and officials said an initial court appearance had not been set.
The crime carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case was 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, officials said.
“I am deeply grateful to the swift, professional, coordinated efforts of local, state, and federal law enforcement in response to the fire at my Vermont office on Friday,” said Sanders in a written statement on Sunday.
“I appreciate the outpouring of support and well-wishes for me and my staff. We are proud to be able to continue to serve Vermonters during these challenging times.”
Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, said in a written statement on Sunday:
“A special thank you to Burlington Police Department detectives, agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, as well as the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the integral role they played in bringing swift resolution to this investigation,” Mulvaney-Stanak said in the statement.
“My office has offered the support of the Burlington Community Justice Center to Senator Sanders’s staff, and we will continue to be in close communication as their office navigates the impacts of this incident.”
