Police suspect arson in fireplace at Wyoming abortion clinic website

Police consider an in a single day hearth in Wyoming that damaged a building being renovated to accommodate a brand new abortion clinic was intentionally set

By

MEAD GRUVER Associated Press

Might 25, 2022, 3:57 PM ET

• 2 min read

CASPER, Wyo. -- An abortion clinic set to open subsequent month in conservative Wyoming was broken in a fireplace early Wednesday that police consider was deliberately set — presumably by someone seen operating away from the building carrying what gave the impression to be a gasoline can and a bag.

The blaze damaged the within of the constructing below renovation to deal with the clinic in Casper, the second-biggest city in a state where opposition to abortion is widespread.

The clinic, which also planned to supply different health care companies for ladies, had been set to open in June as only the second place in the state to supply abortions. Wyoming’s current lone location for girls to get abortions is at a hospital in Jackson, 281 miles (452 kilometers) away.

A person who called authorities before dawn saw someone operating from the constructing with what seemed to be a fuel can and a black bag, police mentioned in a Fb submit. Investigators were reviewing video footage from the world in hopes of identifying the suspect or generating a suspect description, police mentioned. No accidents have been reported.

Julie Burkhart, the clinic’s director, stated clinic organizers had been receiving harassing emails and telephone messages. The building had video cameras that were functioning, and police got entry to them, she said.

“Whether or not you’re in opposition to abortion or support abortion rights, you’re not going to make abortion go away,” said Burkhart, a former affiliate of Dr. George Tiller, an abortion provider who was shot and killed in a Wichita, Kansas, church in 2009.

Protests have been held this spring by abortion opponents at the future clinic web site, and indicators opposing abortion have been seen Wednesday in a window of an residence subsequent door to the constructing.

Wyoming is one in every of 13 U.S. states with a so-called trigger regulation that will instantly outlaw abortion if the Roe v. Wade determination that legalized it nationwide is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Courtroom. A leaked draft of a ruling suggests that may occur soon.

Police quickly closed off the road the place the small building is located as officers investigated. Several of the building's windows have been broken, and smoke damage was seen round one shattered window.