The FBI announced a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the suspect responsible for the ballot box fires that occurred in Vancouver, Washington, and Portland, Oregon. The first incident took place in Vancouver on Oct. 8, when a device with the phrases “Free Palestine” and “Free Gaza” was placed in a drop box. A couple of weeks later, two more ballot boxes in Portland and Vancouver were set on fire with incendiary devices marked with the message “Free Gaza”. Both ballot boxes were equipped with fire suppression systems, but the one in Vancouver failed, causing more ballots to be destroyed. The FBI is actively investigating these incidents and believe that all three are connected.
According to police, the incendiary devices were placed on the outside of the ballot boxes. Officials described the suspect as a White male between 30 and 40, who is balding with short hair. They believe he is an experienced metalworker and may be planning additional attacks. A surveillance camera captured images of a dark 2003 to 2004 Volvo S-60 sedan, driven by the suspect believed to be responsible for the crimes. The vehicle does not have a Volvo logo on the front grill and at the time of the Oct. 28 incident, displayed a fraudulent temporary Washington state license plate on the rear and no front license plate. The plate, not associated with a Volvo, may no longer be on the vehicle.
In the Oct. 8 incident, no ballots were damaged, while only three were damaged in the Portland arson. However, in Vancouver, hundreds of ballots were destroyed. The elected auditor in Clark County, Washington, Greg Kimsey, expressed concern over the attack on democracy just days before Election Day. Officials were able to retrieve about 475 damaged ballots from the burned drop box. The FBI is offering a reward for information leading to the suspect responsible for the fires, and they believe that the incidents are connected.
Officials believe that the man suspected of setting the drop boxes on fire is an experienced metalworker and may be planning additional attacks. The FBI is actively investigating both situations and urges anyone with information to come forward. Authorities describe the suspect as a White male between 30 and 40, who is balding with short hair. A surveillance camera captured images of a dark 2003 to 2004 Volvo S-60 sedan, described to be driven by the suspect believed to be responsible for the crimes. At the time of the Oct. 28 incident, the vehicle also displayed a fraudulent temporary license plate.
The FBI said a surveillance camera captured images of an early 2003 to 2004 Volvo S-60 sedan, described to be dark, with dark wheels and a light-colored interior, driven by the suspect believed to be responsible for these crimes. Officials said the vehicle does not have a Volvo logo on the front grill. At the time of the Oct. 28 incident, the vehicle also displayed a fraudulent temporary Washington state license plate on the rear and no front license plate. No ballots were damaged in the Oct. 8 incident. Only three ballots were damaged in the arson in Portland, but hundreds were damaged in the attack in Vancouver. Greg Kimsey, the elected auditor in Clark County, Washington, said the exact number of ballots destroyed in Vancouver was not known, but officials retrieved about 475 damaged ballots from the box.
