A 23-year-old St. Paul man was arrested and charged in connection to the fire set at the Minneapolis Police Department’s 3rd Precinct.
Branden Michael Wolfe faces federal charges of aiding and abetting arson, the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Minnesota announced Monday. He was taken into custody on Wednesday after officers with the St. Paul Police Department responded to a call made by a home improvement store, where Wolfe previously worked as a security guard before being fired earlier that day, according to a criminal complaint.
Wolfe was reportedly seen wearing body armor, a police belt, and carrying a baton stolen from the precinct trying to get into the store. His name was handwritten on duct tape on the back of the body armor he had on. Officials later discovered other items he took in his apartment, including a riot helmet, a 9mm pistol magazine, a police radio, and a police-issue overdose kit.
The complaint against Wolfe said he admitted being inside the precinct the night of the arson, taking property, and pushing a wooden barrel into the fire, knowing it would keep it burning. Investigators recovered metal barrel rings from the scene.
The precinct was set aflame late last month during the height of protests that erupted in Minneapolis after the death of George Floyd in police custody. Floyd, who is black, died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes despite Floyd’s cries that he could not breathe. Officer Derek Chauvin was charged with second-degree murder, and three others involved in Floyd’s arrest were charged with aiding and abetting murder.
Wolfe is set to make his first court appearance on Tuesday.
