Police suspect arson in fire at Wyoming abortion clinic site

Police imagine an in a single day fire in Wyoming that damaged a constructing being renovated to deal with a new abortion clinic was deliberately set

By

MEAD GRUVER Associated Press

May 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 fire early Wednesday that police consider was intentionally set — possibly by someone seen running away from the building carrying what seemed to be a fuel can and a bag.

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

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

An individual who called authorities earlier than daybreak noticed somebody running from the building with what seemed to be a fuel can and a black bag, police mentioned in a Facebook publish. Investigators were reviewing video footage from the world in hopes of figuring out the suspect or generating a suspect description, police mentioned. No injuries had been reported.

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

“Whether or not you’re towards abortion or support abortion rights, you’re not going to make abortion go away,” stated Burkhart, a former affiliate of Dr. George Tiller, an abortion supplier 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 site, and signs opposing abortion have been seen Wednesday in a window of an condo subsequent door to the building.

Wyoming is one in every of 13 U.S. states with a so-called trigger regulation that will immediately 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 temporarily closed off the street where the small building is positioned as officers investigated. Several of the building's home windows have been broken, and smoke harm was visible around one shattered window.