A 29-year-old Auburn man broke into the state Capitol building in Olympia, causing significant vandalism and fire damage, state officials reported Monday.
Gov. Bob Ferguson confirmed the break-in saying several facilities and historical artifacts” were damaged, including the State Reception Room — "a particularly important space" often used for ceremonial functions like bill signings.
State troopers arrested the man and booked him into Thurston County Jail on suspicion of first-degree burglary, first-degree arson and first-degree malicious mischief. The Seattle Times typically does not name suspects until they have been formally charged with a crime.
The 29-year-old man appeared in Thurston County court Monday, wearing a cast on his left arm. Judge Chris Lanese found probable cause for second-degree burglary and third-degree malicious mischief. A county prosecutor requested $5,000 bail. Lanese declined to set bail and allowed the man to be released on a promise to show up to his next court hearing.
Around 10 p.m. Sunday, security reported a vehicle parked in the grass outside the Capitol building — a scene Washington State Patrol spokesperson Kameron Watts described as highly unusual.
When State Patrol troopers arrived, they found that an office on the ground floor had been broken into and American flags inside had been set on fire, Watts said. The intruder, who had cuts on his hands from broken glass, was arrested inside the building. No one else was injured.
State Patrol troopers found several American flags set on fire on the ground floor, Watts said. Troopers found and arrested the intruder inside the building with cuts on his hands from broken glass.
The man caused significant damage throughout the building. Several "iconic busts" — one of George Washington, gifted to the state in 1984, and another of Martin Luther King Jr., added in 1986 — had been knocked over on the third floor, Lt. Gov. Denny Heck said in a news release.
In the building's rotunda, flags near ceremonial fire pots were toppled and one was set on fire.
The intruder, Heck said, shattered a glass door to gain access to the State Reception Room where multiple objects were set on fire, including "the original rug."
It was not immediately clear Monday if any alarms had been triggered in Sunday night's break-in.
The damage estimate also remained unclear.
“I appreciate the rapid response from (Department of Enterprise Services) staff and collaboration with our emergency response partners. We are reviewing security at the State Capitol Campus to ensure the safety of all who work and visit the campus," the department director, Matt Jones, said in a statement.
The building, temporarily closed Monday, was reopened to the public, though certain areas, including the third floor, were expected to remain closed off as the Department of Enterprise Services continued to assess and repair damage.
In a statement, Heck called the incident part of a troubling pattern of political hostility.
"Over the last several years, there has been a significant escalation in both violence-tinged political rhetoric and actual violence," he said. "Violent rhetoric, property destruction, and violence against individuals are a cancer on our democratic society." Heck said security measures will continue to be reviewed and strengthen as needed.
House Speaker Laurie Jinkins also condemned the break-in, calling it a "deeply troubling" act of destruction.
"House and Senate leadership are working closely with law enforcement and Capitol security to fully investigate the incident, assess the extent of the damage, and ensure the building remains a safe and secure space for everyone, Jinkins, D-Tacoma, said in a statement.
The State Reception Room is a grand room on the third floor of the Capitol used to hosts dignitaries and public events. It's home to what the state describes as the world's largest single-loom carpet, made in 1928 by Mohawk Company of New York. Until 2017, the original Washington state flag was on display there, before being moved to the state archives.
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