The man suspected of setting fires to the ballot boxes in Oregon and Washington earlier this week may be planning additional attacks, authorities said Wednesday.
Investigators believe the suspect who used incendiary devices to start fires at ballot boxes in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington had a “wealth of experience” in metal fabrication and welding, according to Portland Police Bureau spokesman Mike Benner.
The construction of the devices as well as the way they were attached to the metal drop boxes showed clear signs of the suspect’s expertise in the area, Benner said.
On Wednesday, authorities described the suspect in question as a white man between the ages of 30 and 40 with a thin to medium build. The man is balding or has very short hair, the police added in the description.
Police also shared photos of the suspect vehicle, described as a black or dark-colored 2001 to 2004 Volvo S-60. The vehicle did not have a front license plate, but it did have an unidentifiable rear plate.
Press Release: UPDATE: PPB Releases Photos of Suspect Vehicle in Ballot Box Incident (Photo)
— Portland Police (@PortlandPolice) October 28, 2024
Link: https://t.co/C8KzQynQGh pic.twitter.com/TeHX4BrSwP
Earlier this week, authorities in Portland announced that enough materials were collected from the crime scenes to reach the conclusion that the two fires were connected. Police also identified that the incendiary devices used were connected to a separate Oct. 8 incident that took place in a different Vancouver ballot box.
A law enforcement official who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity said the incendiary devices that started fires on Monday were marked with the message “Free Gaza.”
The Oct. 8 device also carried the words “Free Palestine” in addition to “Free Gaza,” the official said. Authorities are investigating to figure out whether the suspect actually had pro-Palestinian views or used the message to try to create confusion, according to the official.
No ballots were damaged during the Oct. 8 incident. But the election staff in Clark County, Washington, which includes Vancouver, were able to identify 488 damaged ballots from the early Monday fire.
As of Tuesday evening, 345 of those voters had already contacted the county auditor’s office to request a replacement ballot, officials said Wednesday, according to the AP. 143 more ballots are expected to be mailed to other identified voters on Thursday.
Six of the ballots were unidentifiable, county officials said and the exact number of destroyed ballots is unknown as some may have turned to ash before the crime scene was investigated.
friST!
ETA:
I’m heartened to see that investigators are open to the possibility that the attacker’s claimed motivations are a front.
Not that I personally care. Setting a ballot box on fire is tantamount to setting the Capitol on fire. Find this person and throw the book at 'em.
By all means but odds are pretty good s/he’s a member of the Trump ‘army’ trying to suppress the democratic vote and, barring that, prepping for insurrection when Trump loses.
ETA: I’ve seen speculation after the NY ‘love-fest’ debacle that Trump wants to lose but it’s more likely he’s just firing up the troops under the theory that insurrection is his ticket out if the Democrats ‘steal’ the election; Trump doesn’t lose, how could anyone think that?
WA voters can check the status of their ballot here.
In OR, do it here.
He drives that Volvo.
He has knowledge of incendiary devices and can access materials such as thermite, white phosphorus or knows how to build a mag bar.
He has strong feelings about Gaza and the Palestinian people.
It’s just a matter of time…and he spends 20 years or more in the can.
“allegedly has strong feelings…”
FIFY