A man was charged on Sunday with setting a fire outside the Vermont office of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, according to federal prosecutors. The suspect, a 35-year-old man previously from Northridge, California, entered the building on Friday and proceeded to Sanders' third-floor office. Security footage revealed him spraying a liquid on the door and igniting it.
The fire caused some damage to the building's interior and triggered sprinklers that doused the area with water. Fortunately, no injuries were reported as Senator Sanders was not present in the office at the time of the incident.
The suspect, identified as Shant Soghomonian, was arrested on Sunday on a charge of using fire to damage a building used in interstate commerce. The motive behind the crime remains unclear, and Soghomonian was detained without the ability to provide a comment. It is currently unknown if he has legal representation, and an initial court appearance has not been scheduled.
If convicted, Soghomonian could face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The investigation into the incident involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including police departments in Burlington, Shelburne, and Williston, as well as the Vermont State Police, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the U.S. Capitol Police.
