Man charged with arson after attack on Democratic Party headquarters in Austin

[ItsjustMe]

https://www.businessinsider.com/man-accused-of-trying-to-set-fire-democratic-office-austin-2021-10

A man who authorities say had political grievances over the direction of the country was arrested Friday after trying to start a fire at a Democratic Party office in Austin, Texas.

On Wednesday, the Travis County Democratic Party said its office had been vandalized the previous night and targeted with a "small incendiary explosive." The fire was quickly put out.

At the time, Katie Naranjo, chair of the local party, described the incident as an "act of terror," saying the arsonist had left a note trying "to terrorize people."

Two days later, Ryan Faircloth, 30, was detained following a tip from an informant, local NBC affiliate KXAN reported. At a press conference, Captain Jeffrey Deane of Austin Fire Arson Investigations said that Faircloth had confessed to the crime and indicated that he "was not happy with the current political climate."

According to an arrest warrant, the informant directed investigators to Faircloth's Facebook page, where they discovered an incriminating post that matched the note found at the scene, KXAN reported.

[OnDoutside]

1. That was quick ! He didn't seem the greatest of masterminds from the video.

[NBachers]

2. This is more than simple arson.

[C Moon]

3. He'll get 6 hours in jail. But if he had done this to the GOP, he'd get life in prison.

[3Hotdogs]

5. Maybe not. The feds are involved so it won't be a local Repub. prosecutor hack.

[marble falls]

7. That local Republican hack is a myth. The Proscuters in Travis have been Democrats for decades ...

Austin and Travis are Democratic strongholds that the GOP has not been able to gerrymand out of existence.

[marble falls]

6. This is Austin, not Texas. He'll get more than 6hrs. This is a Democratic city and Democratic ...

... county.

Austin may be in Texas, but its not so much of Texas.

[C Moon]

8. I love Austin. You guys are the gods of Texas!

[ShazzieB]

4. So glad they caught this a-hole!

[Ford_Prefect]

9. Faircloth may be a fool and inept but he is charged with serious felonies.

This won't result in house arrest and time served.

Faircloth has been charged with second-degree felony arson and third-degree felony possession of a prohibited weapon, CBS Austin reported. If convicted of both charges, he could face between 4 and 30 years in prison and fines of up to $20,000.

He remains behind bars as of Friday evening, his bond set at $40,000.