Man Accused of Setting Fire Outside Bernie Sanders' Office Has History of Firearms and Travel

On the 5th of November, a fire was started outside U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders' Vermont office by 35-year-old Shant Michael Soghomonian, who had a history of brushes with the law, including firearms-related incidents and a pattern of traveling from one place to another.

Arson Incident Details

Security footage revealed that Soghomonian threw a liquid and lit the bottom of a door leading to Sanders’ third-floor office using a lighter. Although seven employees were present in the office at the time, they managed to evacuate, and no injuries were reported. However, the fire and water sprinklers caused damage to the building's interior.

Legal Proceedings

Soghomonian has been charged with maliciously damaging a building used in interstate commerce and as a place of activity affecting interstate commerce through the use of fire. He is currently in custody and is scheduled to appear at a detention hearing.

Prosecution's Argument

The Assistant U.S. Attorney, Matthew Lasher, stated that Soghomonian posed a danger to the community and was a flight risk. Lasher highlighted that the defendant’s disregard for the safety of the building’s occupants and the community was evident and emphasized that Soghomonian had fled the area to avoid detection and apprehension.

Legal History

According to prosecutors, in August, Illinois State Police seized an AK-47 rifle and two magazines, along with 11.5 grams of cannabis and a book titled “How to Blow up a Pipeline” during a traffic stop with Soghomonian. They also mentioned that he had produced an invalid Oregon driver's license during the stop and had a history of firearms possession and lack of candor with law enforcement. Additionally, when Soghomonian was a teenager, he was detained for assault with a firearm in Glendale, California, in 2005, although the case seems to have been dismissed later.