US Attorney: Man charged in connection to arson at Third Precinct
Photos from the arrest of Branden Michael Wolfe.[Photo from federal charging document ]
A St. Paul man has been charged in connection to the arson at the Minneapolis Police Department's Third Precinct.
Monday, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced it charged 23-year-old Branden Michael Wolfe with aiding and abetting arson.
A fire at the Minneapolis Police Department's Third Precinct on May 28 followed rioting that occurred after the death of George Floyd, a black man who died while in the custody of the Minneapolis Police Department.
According to a criminal complaint, police were called on June 3 to the Menards in St. Paul after they received a report that a person with police equipment was trying to get into the store. The person was later identified as Wolfe.
The complaint says Wolfe was a security guard at the store but was fired following social media posts that referred to stealing items from the precinct.
When officers arrested Wolfe, he was wearing body armor and had a police duty belt with handcuffs, an earphone piece, a baton and knife.
When officers searched his home, they located a riot helmet, a 9mm pistol magazine, a police radio and an overdose kit.
The complaint says while in an interview with police, Wolfe admitted to being in the precinct. He told officers while in the third precinct, he pushed a wooden barrel into a fire, knowing it would help the fire continue to burn.