Florida man’s motive unknown in arson, shooting at Michigan State Police Sault Ste. Marie Post

UPDATE: A Michigan State Police Lieutenant said he was shocked after three patrol cars were destroyed at the Sault Ste. Marie Post Wednesday morning.

Charred metal is all that remains of three Michigan State Police cruisers that were set on fire by an arsonist Wednesday morning. Michigan State Police 8th District Public Information Officer Lt. Mark Giannunzio said the events of this crime were astonishing.

“It is startling,” Giannunzio said. “These work sites are supposed to be our safe spaces where our troopers can go, let down their hair and get the paperwork done. When our building and our cars are attacked in those areas, it is a big wakeup call to say that this could happen anywhere at any time.”

Giannunzio said three patrol cars were destroyed and a fourth has moderate fire damage. He said no troopers were at the Post Wednesday morning when a 39-year-old Florida man doused the cruisers with gasoline, set them on fire and shot at them with a rifle.

Read more: WLUC (Marquette, MI)