A former Miami Marlins draft pick, Gunnar Schubert, went on a chaotic rampage at the Washington State Capitol on Sunday night. He broke in, reportedly set fire to various flags, including the American flag, and toppled several iconic busts during a destructive spree that lasted about 10 minutes.
Allegedly experiencing a mental health crisis, the 29-year-old Schubert entered through a window while armed with two hammers. Lt. Governor Denny Heck noted that the break-in occurred shortly after 10 p.m. and led to significant damage.
Schubert, who previously played as a second-year pitcher for Gonzaga Baseball, was drafted by the Marlins in 2018 but later transitioned to working as a “traveling ironworker,” based on his LinkedIn profile.
His chaotic actions included driving his car onto a flower bed, making his way up to the Rotunda’s third floor, where he knocked over several busts and flags, and shattered a glass door in the state reception room.
In his destructive frenzy, he ignited items within the building, including what Heck called a “priceless treasure,” the original carpet in the reception area. Schubert’s history of mental health problems has been cited as a potential factor behind the incident, according to Washington State Patrol spokesman Chris Loftis, who described Schubert’s actions as both “intentional” and representative of someone undergoing a mental health crisis.
Schubert has been accused of causing extensive damage, including to a bronze bust of George Washington and a bust of Martin Luther King Jr. He also reportedly burned American and Washington state flags onto the reception room carpet.
Among the items damaged were a 1928 chenille rug, the national coat of arms, marble floors, original curtains, and even a piano. Following the attack, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson condemned the destruction and emphasized the need for security improvements to prevent such incidents.
After being apprehended and charged with first-degree robbery, arson, and malicious mischief, Schubert was booked into the Thurston County Correctional Facility but was released shortly after on his own recognizance.
Ferguson expressed gratitude towards law enforcement for their prompt response and noted that the damaged areas were repaired and reopened to the public within hours.
He acknowledged the increasing threats of political violence, urging citizens to reduce inflammatory rhetoric. Notably, Schubert had posted politically charged poems on social media, calling out various political figures shortly before the incident. In one post, he could be seen listening to Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive,” wearing a Marlins jersey.
During his time in college baseball from 2017 to 2018, Schubert had a successful run, starting all games at shortstop, and later played for the Marlins minor league team until his release in December 2019.
