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A former Miami Marlins draft pick allegedly broke into the Washington State Capitol and set fire to several flags — including “Old Glory” — and toppled several iconic busts during his destructive rampage on Sunday night.
Gunnar Schubert, 29, was armed with two hammers and reportedly suffering a mental health crisis when he entered through a window and unleashed chaos for 10 minutes, according to Fox 13 Seattle.
“On Sunday evening, after 10 pm, an individual broke a window and entered the State Capitol Building. He proceeded in a fairly short period of time to damage several items in the building,” Lt. Gov. Denny Heck said.
Schubert, a two-year starter for Gonzaga Baseball, was drafted by the Marlins in the 28th round of the 2018 MLB draft and played two seasons of Minor League ball before becoming a “journeyman ironworker,” according to his LinkedIn profile.
Armed with two hammers, Schubert drove his car onto a flower bed outside the building before making his way to the third floor of the rotunda, knocking down two “iconic” busts, several flags and smashing the glass door to the State Reception Room.
Schubert allegedly set fire to several objects in the building, including the State Reception Room’s original carpet that Heck described as a “priceless treasure.”
The one-time MLB hopeful has a history of mental health problems, which is believed to have been one of the reasons for his violent break-in, according to Washington State Patrol spokesperson Chris Loftis.
“The suspect’s actions were very purposeful at the Capitol but appears to be an individual experiencing a mental health crisis of some sort,” Loftis told the Associated Press.
Schubert is suspected of damaging two “iconic” busts, including a bronze statue of George Washington’s head that was knocked over, and scratching a bust of Martin Luther King Jr.
He also knocked down several flags in the rotunda before burning an American and Washington State flag into the carpet of the reception room, according to photos released by the Department of Enterprise Services.
Several other items that sustained damage included the 1928 chenille rug, the state seal in the rotunda, marble floors, stairs, original mohair drapery, original teak flooring and a piano, a report from the DES stated.
“Last night, an intruder broke into the Legislative Building and damaged several facilities and historical artifacts,” Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson wrote on X. “There was significant damage in our State Reception Room, which is a particularly important space.”
Gunnar Schubert, 29, was arrested and charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree arson, and first-degree malicious mischief in his violent rampage of the Legislative Building in Olympia, officials said.
He was booked into the Thurston County Corrections Facility Tuesday morning but has since been released on his own recognizance.
“We have the most beautiful Capitol in the country. 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,” Ferguson added.
The damaged property was restored and reopened to the public within hours on Monday, Ferguson said Wednesday.
Heck took the late-night break-in as a political attack and warned of the rising political violence in the country.
“Over the last several years, there has been a significant escalation in both violence-tinged political rhetoric and actual violence,” the 73-year-old wrote. “We can continue to adapt security measures, and we will, designed to prevent and deter such incidents. The fact remains, however, that we must all do our part in turning down the temperature. Violent rhetoric, property destruction, and violence against individuals are a cancer on our democratic society.
“As I have often said, democracy is worth fighting for,” he added.
He made several politically packed poems to Facebook in the days leading up to his alleged break-in, referencing Ferguson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.)
One of his posts was accompanied by him wearing a Marlins jersey with his name stitched on the back, listening to Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive.”
Schubert played 2 seasons with the Bulldogs in 2017 and 2018, starting all 110 games at shortstop. Averaging .271 over the two years in Spokane with 111 hits, five homeruns and an on-base percentage of .356.
After he was drafted 837th overall, he jumped around the Marlins organization and reached as high as Single-A Jupiter before he was released in December 2019.
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