Ohio Statehouse rotunda vandalized, windows broken
Apr. 12—COLUMBUS — One man broke two windows in the Ohio Statehouse to enter early Monday morning and then used a fire extinguisher to spray the marble floor of the massive rotunda down with white chemicals.
The intruder, his acts captured on security video, called 911 himself and was arrested outside the Statehouse on the west lawn.
"He appeared to be under the influence of drugs, and emergency medical services were dispatched," said Staff Lt. Craig S. Cvetan, spokesman for the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The culprit was taken to Grant Medical Center, a hospital just blocks from the Statehouse.
"During a subsequent interview, the man indicated he was attempting to get medical assistance for a reaction related to his use of illegal narcotics," Mr. Cvetan said.
The highway patrol has not released the identity of the intruder.
Except for three broken windows and door frames on the High and State street sides of the building, the vandalism appeared to be limited to the extinguisher spray. It left a white powder around the historic rotunda under the Statehouse dome, particularly on the front steps closest to the High Street entrance.
A large monument honoring the Civil War Battle at Vicksburg and a massive painting depicting Oliver Hazard Perry's victory on Lake Erie appeared to be undamaged.
Security footage followed the man as he walked across the rotunda, turned to the right at the bottom of the steps on the opposite side, walked through the Ladies' Gallery honoring the role of women in Ohio politics, and then exited on the State Street side to the building's south. He escaped by breaking a third window on that side.
The man sprayed the floor of the rotunda upon his initial entry into the building. He then set the fire extinguisher down rather than walk through the area with it actively spraying, a move that may have saved the historic paintings and monuments.
Statehouse maintenance crews were already at work on clean-up Monday morning as employees continued to assess potential damage and discuss how to safely clean up the chemicals. Because of coronavirus protocol, employees were already wearing face masks.
A source said the massive painting of Perry's Victory during the War of 1812, the first painting commissioned by the state of Ohio, will be further examined to ensure it was not touched by residue from the fire extinguisher spray.
Jill Del Greco, spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine, said the Department of Public Safety will conduct an internal review of the highway patrol's response early Monday morning. The governor was briefed on the incident and will await the review's findings.
Over the summer, many of the Statehouse's lower windows and glass lamps were broken and monuments spray painted in the riots that followed the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.
First Published April 12, 2021, 9:21am
