St. Paul Man Charged With Involvement in Police HQ Fire

Minneapolis, MN (KROC-AM News) - A St. Paul man is facing a federal charge for his alleged involvement in the looting and destruction of the Minneapolis Police Department Third Precinct Headquarters.

According to the U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, 23-year-old Branden Wolfe is charged with aiding and abetting arson. He was arrested last Wednesday after St. Paul Police responded to reports of a man wearing body armor and a law enforcement duty belt who was carrying a baton and trying to get inside a home improvement store. Employees of the business told police Wolve had been fired from his job as a security guard at the store the previous day due to social media posts about items stolen from the police station, which was destroyed by arson fires the night of May 28th during the rioting that followed the death of George Floyd.

The news release announcing the charges against Wolfe alleges, at the time of his arrest, he was caught in possession of a number of items stolen from the precinct headquarters. Officials also say additional Minneapolis Police Department property, including a riot helmet, a 9mm pistol magazine, a police radio, and a drug overdose kit, were found during a search of his apartment.

The charges indicate Wolfe has admitted stealing police property and pushing a wooden barrel into the fire. He also identified himself as the person captured in multiple photos taken by witnesses in front of the burning building holding a police baton.

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