The authorities in Vermont arrested a man they said used an accelerant and a lighter to start a fire on Friday outside of Senator Bernie Sanders’s office in Burlington.
The man, Shant Soghomonian (also known as Michael Soghomonian), 35, previously of Northridge, Calif., was arrested on Sunday on a charge of using fire to damage the building at One Church Street in Burlington, Vt., the U.S. Attorney’s office for the district of Vermont said in a statement on Sunday.
Prosecutors and the police did not identify a possible motive for the fire.
The office said that a lawyer for Mr. Soghomonian had not yet been identified. Officials did not provide a current address for Mr. Soghomonian.
On Friday morning, according to prosecutors and the Burlington Police Department, Mr. Soghomonian walked into the vestibule of the senator’s office, where a security camera captured him as he sprayed an “apparent accelerant” near the outer door of the office.
Mr. Soghomonian then used a lighter and “a blaze quickly began” as he fled via a staircase, prosecutors said. The blaze set off the building’s sprinklers on multiple floors.
The sprinklers extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived around 10:45 a.m., the police said.
The senator’s office was occupied at the time by multiple employees.
It was not known how many other people were in the building at the time, but no injuries were reported, the authorities said.
Senator Sanders, an independent from Vermont, was not in his office at the time of the fire, his office said in a statement on Friday.
“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,” the mayor of Burlington, Emma Mulvaney-Stanak, said in a statement.
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@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
Why do you think someone would resort to setting a fire outside a political office, and how should society respond to such expressions of anger or protest?
@9LDPD232yrs2Y
People will opt for a violent protest when other means have failed, however I do not condone violence and destruction or person or property so it has to be in moderation. Society should take note and analyse the cause but not support violence. The media have a lot to answer for when they choose not to pursue injustice in favour of sensationalism or gossip.
@9LDNVDG2yrs2Y
I think that someone might have done this to instil fear and terror in a politician and their team and effectively force them to change their attitudes towards a particular policy.
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
In what ways do you believe the actions of one individual can impact the perception or safety of public officials and their staff?
@9LDPD232yrs2Y
It can have a great impact on perception if not understood fully.
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
Without knowing the motive, what are some reasons you think could drive a person to commit such an act against a political figure's office?
@9LDPD232yrs2Y
He has faced some injustice at the hands of Bernie Sanders, or he disagrees with his policy and views. He might have been violently effected by those policies and views.
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
How would you feel if a public figure you admired was targeted in a similar manner, and what actions do you think should be taken to prevent such incidents?
@9LDPD232yrs2Y
I do not support any violent targeting of public figures and the perpetrator should be held accountable, although the reasoning needs to be understood too. Some punishment is needed but in proportion to the damage, threat and motivation.
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