Arizona

Arrest Made in Fire at Arizona Democratic Headquarters

Investigators said evidence indicated the fire was an act of arson

Fire investigators stand outside the Arizona Democratic Party headquarters Friday, July 24, 2020, in Phoenix. Fire investigators are looking into the cause of an early morning blaze that destroyed part of the Arizona and Maricopa County Democratic Party headquarters Friday.
AP Photo/Matt York

Authorities on Wednesday announced an arrest in a deliberately-set fire last week that destroyed much of the Arizona and Maricopa County Democratic Party headquarters.

Phoenix police said in a statement that 29-year-old Matthew Egler was booked on one count of arson of an occupied structure. No information about a possible motive was disclosed and it was not immediately known if Egler had an attorney to speak on his behalf.

The blaze happened just after 1 a.m. last Friday in a business district a few miles north of downtown Phoenix.

Investigators said evidence indicated the fire was an act of arson.

The building is the longtime home for both the state and county Democrats. The northern portion of the building, which houses the operations for Maricopa County Democrats, was a total loss, said Steven Slugocki, the county chair. Damage was less extensive in the state party’s portion of the building, he said.

The fire destroyed computers, tablets, phone-banking equipment, campaign literature and years of candidate and organizing information, Slugocki said. It also burned political memorabilia accumulated over decades, including campaign materials for John F. Kennedy, he said. He requested donations to help the party replace the tools it uses to mobilize voters.

Arizona Republican Party leaders also condemned the fire.

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