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.
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