DAKOTA COUNTY, Minn. — Two individuals have been charged in federal court with throwing molotov cocktails into a Dakota County government building in the early hours of May 29.
Garrett Ziegler, 24, and Fornandous Henderson, 32, are being charged with arson and possession of unregistered destructive devices.
In a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota, the two suspects made their initial court appearance Tuesday and have been ordered to remain in custody until June 4 pending a formal hearing.
According to the criminal complaint, the Apple Valley Police Department was dispatched to a fire alarm at the Dakota County Western Service Center.
Upon arrival, officers observed broken windows, smoke, and flames coming from the west side of the building.
Officers then found a set of keys for a Ford Fiesta parked in a neighboring business’ parking lot, the complaint reads.
The complaint states officers executed a search warrant on the vehicle, which was registered to Ziegler, and found several items, including liquor bottles, a store receipt dated May 28, 2020 for three bandanas, partially full and empty boxes of push pins, an empty cardboard box for twelve Ball brand mason jars, an empty Kingsford brand lighter fluid bottle, isopropyl alcohol bottles, a plastic jar containing a clear unidentified liquid and T-pins, and a store receipt dated May 27, 2020 for nail polish remover, prosecutors said.
Officers located Ziegler and Henderson nearby and took them into custody.
