Suspect accused of vandalizing WA State Capitol, damaging artifacts has been released

A suspect broke into the Washington State Capitol Building Sunday night and damaged several facilities and historical artifacts, Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson confirmed.

The 29-year-old suspect was previously booked into the Thurston County Jail, but has since been let go. A Thurston County Judge released the man on a promise that he would show up to his next court hearing later this week.

“There’s no reason to set bail in this case, it’s not a violent offense,” the judge said. “He’s presumed to be innocent.”

Prosecutors are pursuing second-degree burglary, second-degree arson, and first-degree malicious mischief charges.

Suspect causes significant damage to State Reception Room

According to Ferguson, significant damage was caused to the State Reception Room. The suspect used two hammers to shatter a glass window to break into the building, suffering some injuries from broken glass.

Washington State Patrol (WSP) troopers said he burned American flags, toppled statues, and damaged priceless historical artifacts. Capitol police and WSP are still assessing the damage.

WSP troopers were initially tipped off to the break-in after coming across a car that was parked on top of a flower bed in front of the Legislative Building around 10:15 p.m.

“So just around 10 p.m. last night at the legislative building on the Capitol campus in Olympia, campus security that was working that night located an abandoned suspicious vehicle on the campus,” a WSP trooper told KIRO Newsradio. “It was just unusual for this vehicle to be where it was at this time of the night, being that the campus is closed around this night.”

The vandalism lasted approximately 10 minutes.

A lot of property damage was located all throughout the building, according to WSP. Two statues that were knocked over, multiple burning flags located in the rotunda and the state reception room were on fire. Other objects, including an original, nearly century-old rug, were lit ablaze. Lt. Gov. Denny Heck described the rug as “a priceless treasure” to KIRO 7.

The fire department was able to get the fire out after arriving at the scene.

“We have the most beautiful Capitol in the country,” Ferguson wrote after confirming the break-in. “I am grateful for the quick work of our Department of Enterprise Services and the Washington State Patrol to bring this individual safely into custody.”

Last night, an intruder broke into the Legislative Building and damaged several facilities and historical artifacts.

There was significant damage in our State Reception Room, which is a particularly important space. We are still assessing the damage.

We have the most beautiful…

— Governor Bob Ferguson (@GovBobFerguson) October 6, 2025

Speaker Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, called the attack “deeply troubling” and said House and Senate leadership are working with law enforcement and Capitol security to fully investigate the incident and assess the extent of the damage.

“Washington’s historic Capitol is more than just a building — it is the people’s house, and it must always be a place where legislators, staff, and the public feel safe carrying out the important work of democracy. While this act of destruction is disturbing, we will not be deterred,” Jinkins wrote in a prepared statement. “The people’s work will continue, and our commitment to transparency, safety, and service remains unwavering.”

The suspect was released without bail, pending charges, which prosecutors said are expected on Wednesday. The suspect previously attended Gonzaga University and played in the school’s baseball team.

Washington State Capitol campus faces security gaps after cuts

The Washington State Capitol campus has suffered from a lack of security after the Legislature and Ferguson cut spending on security staff, including a contract with WSP, according to The Washington State Standard.

The campus is the largest in the nation, and the cuts mean that security is stretched thin, the media outlet noted.

Among the eliminated positions were the Security Operations Center staff who monitored the campus 24/7 and the Public Safety Compliance Team members trained in de-escalation techniques.

Contributing: Julia Dallas, MyNorthwest

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