Portland Arson Suspect Caught After Video of Incident Reveals Giant Tattoo of His Last Name
A 32-year-old man has been charged with damaging federal property during unrest in Portland, Oregon, after authorities used a tattoo of his name across his upper back to help identify him.
Edward Thomas Schinzing, 32, has been charged with damaging the Justice Center in Portland on May 29, according to a Justice Department news release.
Although the Justice Center houses city and county offices, it receives federal funding from the DOJ, according to The Oregonian.
Schinzing was identified through photographs that were released along with the DOJ release.
According to the Justice Department, Schinzing was among the protesters who demonstrated at the Justice Center on May 29.
Not long after protesters arrived at the building, some of them broke windows in the Corrections Records Office, allowing them to enter the facility and forcing three Multnomah County employees who were working there to flee.
Based on photos and videos culled from YouTube, Twitter, surveillance cameras and online images, about 30 people entered the center and began a spree of destruction, according to the release.
Once inside, protesters “spray-painted portions of the office; damaged computer and other office equipment, furniture, and interior windows; and started fires.”
According to the DOJ, images from inside the center show one man with a distinctive tattoo spelling out “Schinzing.” The man was identified after the image was compared to his booking photo.
On May 29, Schinzing was on probation for domestic violence assault, according to The Oregonian.
He had been sentenced to five years of probation on April 16 after he was found guilty of third-degree assault and attempted fourth-degree assault.
Schinzing had admitted he had he punched his girlfriend in front of her son in February. Multnomah County court records indicated has seven prior misdemeanor convictions and two felony convictions.
According to the DOJ release, Schinzing spread a fire that had been started near the front of the office, lighting papers on fire and putting them in another cubicle.
New Report from Portland OR riotshttps://t.co/QQD242tClT
Edward Schinzing faces federal arson charges for May 29th attack where he broke into the Justice Center and started a fire.
Faces max of 20 years in federal prison#antifa #antifawatch #PortlandRiots #PortlandProtest pic.twitter.com/YvIF2XVGTZ
— AntifaWatch.us (@AntifaWatch2) July 28, 2020
The Multnomah County Detention Center, which is part of the Justice Center, held 289 inmates at the time of the incident.
Schinzing appeared Tuesday in federal court and was detained for future proceedings.
Arson can be punished by up to 20 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years.
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