Suspect identified in burning of Supreme Court police vehicle
Washington DC July 22 2020 Authorities on Friday identified the man who police allege set fire to a police vehicle outside the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this week and was critically injured in the blaze.
Cody Tarner, 22, of Hagerstown, Md., has been charged with federal destruction of property and using fire to destroy property, among other counts, according to D.C. police, who processed the case.
The incident occurred about 1:50 p.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of Maryland Avenue NE, near First Street NE.
The Supreme Court’s public information office said a person “poured an accelerant” onto the vehicle and set it on fire. That vehicle belonged to the Supreme Court police force and was unmarked.
An adjacent vehicle also was damaged, authorities said.
A D.C. fire department spokesman said firefighters who extinguished the fire found a man with severe burns.
Police said Tarner remains hospitalized but an updated condition was not immediately available. They said he initially was in critical condition. Tarner has not made an appearance in court and it could not immediately be determined if he has an attorney.
