Police suspect arson in hearth at Wyoming abortion clinic site

Police consider an overnight fire in Wyoming that damaged a building being renovated to house a brand new abortion clinic was deliberately set

By

MEAD GRUVER Related Press

Might 25, 2022, 3:57 PM ET

• 2 min read

CASPER, Wyo. -- An abortion clinic set to open next month in conservative Wyoming was broken in a fireplace early Wednesday that police believe was deliberately set — probably by someone seen running away from the constructing carrying what appeared to be a fuel can and a bag.

The blaze damaged the inside of the building beneath renovation to house the clinic in Casper, the second-biggest city in a state the place opposition to abortion is widespread.

The clinic, which also planned to provide different well being care services for ladies, had been set to open in June as only the second place within the state to offer 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 known as authorities earlier than daybreak noticed somebody operating from the constructing with what gave the impression to be a gasoline can and a black bag, police stated in a Fb post. Investigators have been reviewing video footage from the realm in hopes of identifying the suspect or generating a suspect description, police mentioned. No accidents have been reported.

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

“Whether or not you’re against abortion or assist abortion rights, you’re not going to make abortion go away,” said Burkhart, a former associate 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 on the future clinic web site, and indicators opposing abortion had been seen Wednesday in a window of an house next door to the building.

Wyoming is one in every of 13 U.S. states with a so-called trigger law that would immediately outlaw abortion if the Roe v. Wade resolution that legalized it nationwide is overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court docket. A leaked draft of a ruling suggests that will occur quickly.

Police temporarily closed off the street where the small building is located as officers investigated. A number of of the constructing's windows were damaged, and smoke harm was visible around one shattered window.