PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Authorities on Wednesday said they caught the man suspected of igniting a fire outside the home of Vancouver’s mayor earlier in the week.
Aidan Murray was taken into custody and charged with second-degree burglary, third-degree theft, second-degree malicious mischief and first-degree arson.
Just after midnight Wednesday, Vancouver police said they received a report of a man burglarizing Sunrise Bagels Wholesale off of Harney Street and 8th. Officers found Murray inside the bakery and subsequently arrested him.
VPD later determined Murray was involved in the arson at Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle’s home on Monday night. Murray allegedly set a fire near the mayor’s garage before running off when confronted by McEnerny-Ogle’s husband, Terry.
The arson attack came one day after McEnerny-Ogle’s home was burglarized. She believes the same person committed both crimes and that they were likely targeted attacks.
“Usually, people would write you or call you… It has been ramping up in that degree, and not as violent as this, thank God,” she said. “But I don’t care if you’re Steve Calloway in Hillsboro or if you’re Jason down south or if you’re over in Gresham or if you’re Ted Wheeler. Our city councilors and even the planning commissioners and our lawyers, anyone who’s making those decisions of land use, police, fire, parks … I don’t care what it is. There is this feeling perhaps that they have the right to perhaps be violent and that’s the scary part.”
The Vancouver mayor also told KOIN 6 News that her home’s security cameras were stolen in the burglary, so they weren’t able to catch the arson suspect on camera. Vancouver police set up security cameras at the home Tuesday.
The arson investigation is ongoing.