WA State Patrol urges voters to remain vigilant, report suspicious activity after ballot box bombings —suspect still on the loose

Washington State Patrol urged voters to remain vigilant on Election Day and report any suspicious activity at ballot drop boxes following the recent bombings of some of those boxes in the Pacific Northwest. The safety alert comes after authorities warned during an Oct. 30 press briefing that the suspect, who has not yet been identified or captured, could strike again. 

Chris Loftis, WSP Director of Communications, told The Post Millennial in a statement: "We recommend that everyone stay situationally aware of your surroundings near ballot boxes and other electioneering activities, build in some extra time for travel where there is possibility of disruption or delay, maintain calm and do not take the bait from those looking for conflict and escalation, and always call 911 when you see something that is unsafe or illegal."

"Law enforcement is here to protect the rights of expression and assembly, but those rights, as sacred as we all hold them, are not boundless," he continued. "Regardless of political perspective, when people engage in activity that is unsafe and illegal, they have crossed those boundaries, and our role can and will move quickly from protection to enforcement."

While Loftis explained that while there are "no current and specific active threats or concerns" to the safety of the public that the agency has been made aware of, he said, "We cannot stop people from misbehavior."

Washington State Patrol will increase security and enforcement measures beginning on Election Day, Nov. 5, and lasting until Inauguration Day, Jan. 20, 2025. The agency's Special Operations Division will be deployed to the capitol campus in Olympia to handle any demonstrations or disruptions at the state capital. The Field Operations Bureau will respond to any potential highway disruptions, and WSP's Rapid Deployment Teams will take on disruptions that arise anywhere in the state.

"The entire electoral season—from election day to inauguration—was a time of significant disruption in the last presidential election cycle," Loftis said. "So, our situational awareness and preparation stretch far beyond next week. We are very aware of the potential for politically related disruption in the coming days be it incidents like the ballot box fires we saw in Portland and Clark County last week, or the highway disruptions we saw earlier this year."

Additionally, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee (D) ordered the activation of the state National Guard on Friday to respond to any potential political violence that may arise during the general election, citing in his letter the ballot box bombing suspect still on the loose and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warning that threats to election infrastructure are high.

Investigators on the ballot box bombing case headed by the FBI Portland Field Office have stayed mum since the Oct. 28 attack in ballot drop boxes in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. The suspect ignited incendiary devices at the ballot drop boxes. The message "Free Gaza" was emblazoned on the devices, law enforcement sources said. So far, only Portland Police has given any sort of update on the case, which included a suspect description and a warning that investigators believe that the suspect could strike again.

In an Oct. 30 press brief, Portland Police described the suspect as a balding white male in his 30s to 40s, with a thin face and medium frame. Investigators expect the suspect to be a skilled welder or metal fabricator. Authorities are searching for a dark-colored Volvo S60 from the early 2000s.