On Sunday, the Department of Justice announced the arrest of a suspect in relation to an arson investigation after a fire was set at Democrat Senator Bernie Sanders’ Burlington, Vermont, office. Shant Soghomonian, also known as Michael Soghomonian, age 35, was taken into custody on Sunday. Soghomonian is reported to be a previous resident of Northridge, California.
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According to court records, Soghomonian allegedly entered the building at 1 Church Street in Burlington on Friday morning and proceeded to the third floor, where Sanders’ office is located. According to the DOJ, security footage shows the suspect spraying a liquid near the office’s outer door, followed by igniting the area with a hand-held lighter, resulting in a fire that damaged the exterior of Sanders’ office door and adjacent areas.
On Friday, police released a grainy photo of the suspect at large, wearing an orange beanie, dark jacket, and white Nike sneakers, and carrying what appears to be a tote bag.
The DOJ confirmed that the fire triggered sprinklers on multiple floors within the building. Although several of Sanders’ staff were present in the office during the incident, they fortunately did not sustain physical injuries. The total number of individuals in the building at that time remains unknown, but no injuries were reported.
Sanders’ office released a statement on Sunday expressing gratitude for the swift and coordinated response from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies following the fire.
Sanders’ statement said,
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.
I appreciate the outpouring of support and well-wishes for me and my staff. We are proud to be able to continue to serve Vermonters during these challenging times.
At the time of the incident, Sen. Sanders, who resides in Burlington and previously served as its mayor before his congressional tenure, was not present in his office or even in the state. He was rallying with striking hotel workers on a picket line in downtown Los Angeles.
Sanders’ state director Kathryn Van Haste also said in a statement on Friday,
We are relieved that no one on our staff and, to our understanding, no one in the building was harmed.
The federal charges against Soghomonian stem from the building being used in interstate commerce and as a place of activity affecting interstate commerce. The building, a historic structure previously housing a Masonic temple, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The brick building is also home to several office and retail spaces.
Soghomonian’s initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle has not been scheduled yet. If convicted, he could face a prison sentence ranging from five to 20 years and a maximum fine of $250,000. It remains unclear whether Soghomonian has entered a plea, or what may have motivated the crime.
