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Arson at Vancouver mayor's home was preceded by burglary, she says

Someone broke into McEnerny-Orgle's home while they were away over the weekend. Her family spent Monday making repairs before the arson happened that night.

VANCOUVER, Wash. — Police and firefighters responded to the home of Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle on Monday night after someone allegedly tried to set a fire near her family's garage, according to police.

According to a brief statement from the Vancouver Police Department, officers responded shortly after 9:30 p.m. to a report of an "arson in progress" at the home in the 3500 block of F Street.

Police said that the homeowner — confirmed to be McEnerny-Ogle's husband, Terry Ogle — told officers that he confronted someone who was setting a fire near the house's garage, and the suspect ran away. Ogle was able to extinguish the fire.

Officers set up a perimeter around the area and used a K-9 in an attempt to find the suspect, but the person was not located initially located.

Vancouver police arrested the suspect on Wednesday. Just after midnight, officers responded to a burglary at a business on Harney Street. A man was reportedly seen on security camera burglarizing the business. Police found the man inside the business and took him into custody. They determined that he was also suspected of arson at McEnerny-Ogle's house, but did not publicly explain why they believe he's connected to the case.

Aiden Michael Murray was booked into the Clark County Jail on charges of burglary in the second degree, theft in the third degree, malicious mischief in the second degree and first-degree arson.

McEnerny-Ogle said she remains concerned about her safety.

"We've been victims of crime before, this has just escalated up," McEnerny said. "It might be something political, it might not be."

According to the Vancouver mayor, her home had just been burglarized on Sunday, the day before the arson attempt.

"My brother Patrick is in hospice, so we were on hospice night duty, and we came back Monday morning to find that the house had been broken into," McEnerny-Ogle said. 

She said they spent Monday getting glass repaired and boarding up the windows.

"This person had quite a bit of time in our home," McEnerny-Ogle said. 

Vancouver police arson investigators and the city Fire Marshal's Office are still investigating Monday's arson case.

McEnerny-Ogle was attending a city council meeting at the time of the reported arson.

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