Suspect arrested in arson attack on Idaho gun store owned by Republican state House candidate Cornel Rasor

Jennifer S. Meyer, 50, of Sandpoint, was taken into custody on Tuesday and has been charged with first-degree arson. A Bonner County judge set her bail at $1 million on Wednesday, citing an extreme risk to the safety of the public due to the nature of the crime, according to a video of the bond hearing posted by the Idaho Tribune.

Meyer has been accused of intentionally setting fire to the historic downtown Army Surplus store on the July 4 holiday, a building that is full of ammunition. The fire was set around 10:15pm as thousands of people gathered in the vicinity to watch the city's annual fireworks show.

"It is really a miracle that no one was severely injured or worse," said Judge Hagelberg during the bail hearing. "The timing of this is also very troubling."

Sandpoint police said in a statement that detectives identified Meyer through video surveillance footage and "good old-fashioned police work."

"On July 16, 2024, Meyer was interviewed at the Sandpoint PD and subsequently taken into custody for 1st-degree Arson...Currently, the motive for the arson is unknown," said Sandpoint police chief Corey L. Coon.

Police executed a search warrant at Meyer's residence Tuesday evening and located a 9mm gun, a passport, $1,000 cash, $1,200 worth of silver, car titles, birth certificates, and college transcripts. Prosecutors said the evidence shows that Meyer may have been planning to flee the country.

Judge Hagelberg agreed that Meyer was a flight risk based on the evidence found during the search warrant and set her bail at $1 million. "The greatest concern here is the protection of the public," he said.

It's unclear if the attack was politically motivated and investigators are working to determine a motive. After news reports surfaced that the Army Surplus store suffered an arson attack, far-left extremists and Antifa-affiliated members celebrated the attack. One of them justified the arson attack, saying that the Republican candidate, Cornel Rasor, who owned the store, was a "Christian nationalist."

The fire ravaged the gun store to the point that it could not be salvaged. A donation site has been set up to support Rasor, or your tax-deductible donations (write checks to Kootenai Church with “Cornel Rasor” on the comment line) can be sent to:

Kootenai Church

P.O. Box 593

Kootenai, Idaho 83840

The Sandpoint police chief said that anyone who spoke with Meyer on July 4 or may have information is encouraged to contact the Sandpoint PD at 208-265-1482.