The office of Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders caught on fire Friday and authorities suspect the incident as an arson attack, multiple outlets reported.
The Burlington Fire Department responded to a fire at Sanders’ Vermont office, and it is now being investigated as arson. The fire started in the entrance of the building, which houses Sanders‘ only state congressional office. Surveillance footage caught a man spraying a flammable liquid on the door, according to CNN.
“He then lit the accelerant and fled,” the release said, CNN reported. “A significant fire engulfed the door and part of the vestibule, impeding the egress of staff members who were working in the office and endangering their lives.”
The suspect was identified as Shant Soghomonian, 35, who is also known under the alias Michael Soghomonian, according to the Justice Department. He was arrested Sunday. Soghomonian faces 5 to 20 years in prison and could be fined up to $250,000 if found guilty. The court will decide the sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and factors in the U.S. Code.
At the time of the fire, Sanders was away from his Burlington office. Sanders thanked the authorities for their quick response in a statement.
“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. I am also thankful that none of the many people who were in the office building at the time of the fire were injured,” Sanders said in a statement to CNN Sunday.
A fire at Sen. Bernie Sanders’ Vermont office is being investigated as arson, the Burlington Fire Department says. https://t.co/V86gl7VLIq
— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 6, 2024
Despite the damage and risk, no injuries were reported and the senator was unharmed, NBC News reported. The identity and motive of the suspect remain unknown as the investigation continues without any arrests made thus far. (RELATED: Feds Investigating Potential Arson Attack Targeting Conservative Orgs)
“We are grateful to the Burlington Fire and Police Departments who responded immediately today to a fire incident that took place in our office building,” said Sanders’ state director Kathryn Van Haste in a statement, according to NBC News. “We are relieved that no one on our staff and, to our understanding, no one in the building was harmed.”
This arson case follows a pattern of rising threats reported by Capitol Police, with over 8,000 incidents last year, including direct threats and alarming statements, according to NBC News.