Former Gonzaga baseball player arrested in connection with break-in at Washington State Capitol

OLYMPIA – A man accused of breaking into the Washington State Capitol on Sunday night played college baseball for Gonzaga eight years ago and was drafted by the Miami Marlins.

The break-in caused “significant damage” to several facilities, Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Monday, including to the State Reception Room.

Court records identify the suspect as 29-year-old Gunnar Schubert from Auburn. He is suspected of setting a fire and causing damage to historical artifacts.

Schubert played baseball at Gonzaga University in 2016 and 2017 and was picked by the Marlins in the 28th round of the 2018 draft, according to previous Spokesman-Review reporting. Schubert played minor -league baseball across two seasons before being released in December 2019. His LinkedIn profile indicates he is now a journeyman ironworker.

An Instagram account appearing to belong to Schubert has multiple posts with sporadic poems, some of which tag Ferguson, Sen. Patty Murray and Sen. Maria Cantwell.

In 2022, Schubert served time for breaking into a Mason County cabin and staying there without paying the fee for three days. Neighbors complained he was walking around with a baseball bat asking for rides so he could buy drugs, court documents say.

He was sentenced to a year in jail but served 30 days. Schubert also pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal trespassing in 2021 for unlawfully entering a house near Lackawanna Beach in Brinnon, court records show. He was placed on a 72-hour hold, ordered a competency evaluation and later served 55 days in jail.

Chris Loftis, Washington State Patrol spokesperson, said the suspect was apprehended “without incident.” Schubert was booked into the Thurston County Jail on charges of first-degree burglary, first-degree arson and first-degree malicious mischief, records show.

Loftis said there is no indication the incident was politically motivated, and it appeared to be an “individual experiencing a mental health crisis.”

According to the Washington State Patrol, the suspect, identified as Schubert, entered through a broken window on the north side of the building at approximately 10:15 p.m. with two hammers. He broke small office equipment, including card readers and hand sanitizer dispensers, before going up to the building’s large rotunda and “escalating damage.”

Loftis said the suspect also started a fire in the State Reception Room, a space typically used for news conferences, ceremonies and other large gatherings. Photos from previous events show that the room is decorated with various flags and a large rug.

“There was significant damage in our State Reception Room, which is a particularly important space,” Ferguson posted on social media. “We are still assessing the damage.”

In a statement, the Department of Enterprise Services, which oversees the building, said the State Reception Room contains “many priceless, irreplaceable historical artifacts, some of which were damaged.”

The agency said it is currently assessing the extent of the damage and “will provide more information about the damage and needed repairs as we know more.”

The building is currently open to the public, though the third floor, where the State Reception Room is located, remains closed.

Ferguson is currently attending a conference of Democratic governors and was not inside the governor’s mansion, which is located directly next to the Capitol, when the incident occurred.

Lt. Gov. Denny Heck, who is serving as acting governor since Ferguson has traveled out of state, said in a statement on Monday that the suspect toppled two busts on the third floor of the building, and flags on the east side of the rotunda were thrown over. One flag also was set on fire.

Heck said the suspect also set fire to the rug in the State Reception Room, which he called a “priceless treasure.”

“The state patrol quickly apprehended the suspect as he was exiting the building following his rapid-fire damage spree,” Heck said in a statement. “I commend the state patrol for their swift and professional response.”

According to Loftis, the first patrol officer arrived on scene within 30 seconds of the suspect entering the building, and the suspect was taken into custody approximately 10 minutes after the first call.

“I appreciate the rapid response from DES staff and collaboration with our emergency response partners,” DES Director Matt Jones said in a statement. “We are reviewing security at the State Capitol Campus to ensure the safety of all who work and visit the campus.”

Crews were seen repairing a large window on the building’s south side just before noon Monday, and large flags that typically stand in the rotunda have been taken down. The State Reception Room was cordoned off, and large blinds block the glass wall that looks out into the rotunda. A piece of plywood is partially covering one pane of missing glass on the wall.

In a statement, Speaker of the House Laurie Jinkins, D-Tacoma, said , “House and Senate leadership are working closely with law enforcement and Capitol security to fully investigate the incident, assess the extent of the damage, and ensure the building remains a safe and secure space for everyone.

“Washington’s historic Capitol is more than just a building – it is the people’s house, and it must always be a place where legislators, staff, and the public feel safe carrying out the important work of democracy. While this act of destruction is disturbing, we will not be deterred. The people’s work will continue, and our commitment to transparency, safety, and service remains unwavering.”

Security around the governor’s mansion was increased this year, including a new fence that is several feet taller and a new secondary gate that vehicles must travel through. Heck said in a statement that “over the last several years, there has been a significant escalation in both violence-tinged political rhetoric and actual violence.”

“We can continue to adapt security measures, and we will, designed to prevent and deter such incidents,” Heck said. “The fact remains, however, that we must all do our part in turning down the temperature. Violent rhetoric, property destruction, and violence against individuals are a cancer on our democratic society.”

Heck himself was recently the target of a false bomb threat at his residence. During a committee hearing Friday, Senate Majority Leader Jaimie Pedersen, D-Seattle, said both Heck and Sen. Steve Conway, D-Tacoma, the president pro tempore of the Senate, “were evacuated from their houses because of bomb threats.”

According to Pedersen, both incidents occurred “within the last several weeks.”

“Their families were forcibly removed by police,” Pedersen said, as he became emotional recalling the incident, “so that bomb sniffing dogs could take over their premises. …

“We are just living in an environment that kind of feels like it’s gone off the rails.”