The Madison Police Department arrested a 26-year-old man as a person of interest in the recent arson of the City-County Building in Madison following BLM protests.
According to an incident report from MPD, Madison resident Marquon Clark was arrested Tuesday evening following a suspected parole violation during a traffic stop near Verona Road.
MPD also arrested 25-year-old Connor Fleck of Pardeeville. When officers tried to stop Clark’s car, the report said Fleck swerved intentionally towards the squad car in his pickup truck. MPD said if not for the squad car driver taking evasive action, Fleck would have slammed into the car. Fleck was arrested for second degree recklessly endangering safety.
Protesters tear down statues to protest arrest of Black activist, white supremacy
According to the report, MPD is investigating Clark for his suspected involvement in the June 23 fire set at the City-County building. The arson occurred the same night protesters tore down two statues at the Capitol and assaulted Sen. Tim Carpenter, D-Milwaukee, and another bystander following the arrest of a Black activist in downtown Madison.
A fire bomb was thrown through the windows of the City-County Building, landing close to the 911 call center, according to a press release from Dane County Executive Joe Parisi. The fire bomb set a pile of boxes on fire, which was put out by responding Dane County Sheriffs at the scene, Parisi said in the release.
According to the report, the arson case is still active, and it will continue to be investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in coordination with MPD.
In the incident report, Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jon Ortiz, of the ATF St. Paul Field Division said ATF is offering a $5,000 reward for information.
“This is a serious crime that put a number of lives at risk. Acts like this will not be tolerated,” Ortiz said in the report. “If you know who threw this device, ATF is offering up to $5,000 for information.”
Currently, Clark has not been charged in the case and remains in the Dane County Jail as the investigation pends on the alleged parole violation, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
