Intruder with hammers burns and smashes through Washington State Capitol

Intruder with hammers burns and smashes through Washington State Capitol Scott Greenstone October 06, 2025 / 12:44 pm

A man broke into the Washington State Capitol's Legislative Building on Sunday night, smashed equipment, and lit a fire in the state reception room.

State troopers arrested and booked Gunnar Schubert into Thurston County Jail for arson, burglary, and malicious mischief, jail records show.

The crime was not politically motivated, a spokesperson for the state patrol said, and Schubert was in the middle of a mental health crisis.

"A sad story on all counts — troubled individual does damage to historic building and artifacts," Chris Loftis, director of public affairs for the Washington State Patrol, wrote in an email. "But fortunately, no law enforcement, building us