An intruder broke into Washington State’s Capitol Building on Sunday night, toppling statues of George Washington and Martin Luther King Jr., and setting a fire in an ornate reception room known for hosting heads of state and for its Tiffany glass-bead chandeliers, the authorities said.
The Washington State Patrol said on Monday that the vandal was in custody and that the attack did not appear to have been politically motivated.
It said that the man, whom it identified as Gunnar Schubert, 29, was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Mr. Schubert was charged with first-degree arson, first-degree burglary and first-degree malicious mischief, according to the Thurston County Corrections Bureau, which said that he had been denied bail.
It was not clear if Mr. Schubert, whom public records showed as living in Auburn, Wash., had a lawyer.
Gov. Bob Ferguson of Washington posted details about the vandalism on social media on Monday.
“There was significant damage in our State Reception Room, which is a particularly important space,” Mr. Ferguson wrote on Bluesky. “We are still assessing the damage.”
The total cost of the damage was not immediately available from state officials.
Around 10:15 p.m. Sunday, the Washington State Patrol said, Mr. Schubert parked his car on a flower bed outside the Capitol Building in Olympia, Wash., which is also known as the Legislative Building.
Mr. Schubert broke into the building through a ground-floor office window, using two hammers, the Patrol said. The breach set off an alarm in the capitol, which was built in 1928.
Mr. Schubert made his way to the building’s rotunda and third floor, damaging statues and burning flags, the authorities said. He set a fire in the State Reception Room, which the state’s website said is a formal receiving space for dignitaries, including heads of state.
It also used for bill-signing ceremonies, Washington State’s electoral college meeting and for lawmakers to address constituent groups.
The first trooper was on the scene about 30 seconds after the break-in. Law enforcement officers heard sounds of breaking glass and took Mr. Schubert into custody without incident as he exited the building, the Washington State Patrol said. The entire episode lasted about 10 minutes, it said.
Mr. Schubert played two years of minor league baseball for the Miami Marlins organization, which selected him in 2018 out of Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., according to his minor league player profile.
Neil Vigdor covers breaking news for The Times, with a focus on politics.
The post Man Breaks Into Washington State Capitol, Toppling Statues and Setting Fire appeared first on New York Times.
