Ryan Faircloth, 30, was arrested for allegedly using a Molotov cocktail to ignite the office of the Travis County Democratic Party headquarters in Austin, Texas, according to a report by the local CBS affiliate.

The arson attempt was captured by the TCDP’s security cameras early Wednesday morning, showing a man wearing an American flag bandanna over his face throwing a rock through the glass on the office’s front door, and then returning “with what appears to be an incendiary device and plac[ing] it inside the building and then the fire starts to ignite,” said Austin arson investigator Captain Brandon Jennings. He also allegedly left a note at the scene.

No one was at the office at the time, so fortunately there were no injuries. Damage to the building was minimized because the arsonist placed the incendiary device inside the office, instead of throwing it as Molotov cocktails are usually deployed, and patrons of the bar across the street noticed the flames and put them out with a fire extinguisher.

The Austin Fire Department told reporters that the arrest was made by their arson investigators working with the FBI.

Faircloth has been charged with second-degree felony arson and third-degree felony possession of a prohibited weapon. He is being held at the Travis County Jail under a $40,000 combined bond for the two charges.

TCDP Chair Katie Naranjo issued a statement thanking the Austin Fire Department, FBI, Austin Police Department, and Travis County Sheriff’s Office. “Today, our community and democracy are safer with the arrest of the far-right domestic terrorist who attacked @TCDP’s office,” she wrote.

Today, our community and democracy are safer with the arrest of the far-right domestic terrorist who attacked @TCDP‘s office. Thank you AFD, FBI, APD, and TCSO. We must rebuild trust in our political process. Add your voice and vote! pic.twitter.com/zmoJRejAKG

— Katie Naranjo (@KatieNaranjo) October 1, 2021

The post Austin Man Arrested, Charged With Arson For Allegedly Throwing Molotov Cocktail at Democratic Party HQ first appeared on Mediaite.

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