Wisconsin

DNA from half-eaten burrito ties ex-Wisconsin doctoral student to pro-life center firebombing attack

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DNA present in a half-eaten burrito helped uncovered a former Wisconsin college analysis assistant now accused of firebombing a pro-life middle final Mom’s Day. 

The assault on the headquarters of Wisconsin Household Motion in Madison, Wisconsin, got here a couple of week after the leak of a Supreme Court docket draft opinion that might later overturn Roe v. Wade. 

About 10 months after a Molotov cocktail was tossed contained in the workplace and the message, “If abortions aren’t protected then you definately aren’t both,” was scrawled on the constructing’s facet, Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury, 29, of Madison, was arrested in Boston on Tuesday and charged with one depend of trying to trigger injury by way of hearth or an explosive.

The Justice Division stated he traveled from Madison to Portland, Maine, and he bought a one-way ticket from Boston to Guatemala Metropolis, Guatemala, departing Tuesday morning. 

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WISCONSIN PRO-LIFE GROUP WANTS ‘STRONGER LEADERSHIP’ FROM WHITE HOUSE TO HUNT ‘THUGS’ BEHIND ATTACK 

Regulation enforcement arrested Roychowdhury at Boston Logan Worldwide Airport.

Threatening graffiti is seen on the outside of Wisconsin Household Motion workplaces in Madison, Wisconsin, Could 8, 2022. Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury was charged within the assault forward of the U.S. Supreme Court docket’s choice to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Alex Shur/Wisconsin State Journal by way of AP, File)

“Based on the grievance, Mr. Roychowdhury used an incendiary gadget in violation of federal legislation in connection along with his efforts to terrorize and intimidate a non-public group,” Assistant Lawyer Common Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Division’s Nationwide Safety Division stated in a press release. “I commend the dedication and professionalism of legislation enforcement personnel who labored exhaustively to make sure that justice is served.” 

Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury obtained a PhD in biochemistry from UW-Madison in Could 2022. He’s now not affiliated with the college. (College of Wisconsin — Madison)

“Violence is rarely an appropriate means for anybody to specific their views or their disagreement,” Assistant Director Robert R. Wells of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division stated. “At present’s arrest demonstrates the FBI’s dedication to vigorously pursue these answerable for this harmful assault and others throughout the nation, and to carry them accountable for his or her legal actions.”

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Based on the grievance, on Mom’s Day, Sunday, Could 8, 2022, at roughly 6:06 a.m., legislation enforcement responded to an energetic hearth at an workplace constructing situated in Madison. 

Harm is seen within the inside of Madison’s Wisconsin Household Motion headquarters in Madison, Wisconsin, Could 8, 2022. Hridindu Sankar Roychowdhury at was arrested at Boston’s Logan Worldwide Airport on Tuesday. (Alex Shur/Wisconsin State Journal by way of AP, File)

As soon as contained in the constructing, police noticed a mason jar below a damaged window. The jar was damaged, and the lid and screw high had been burned black, the Justice Division stated. 

The police additionally noticed a purple disposable lighter close to the mason jar. On the other wall from the window, the police noticed one other mason jar with the lid on and a blue fabric tucked into the highest, and the material was singed. The jar was about half stuffed with a transparent fluid that smelled like an accelerant, the grievance says. 

Exterior the constructing, somebody spray-painted on one wall, “If abortions aren’t protected then you definately aren’t both” and, on one other wall, a big “A” with a circle round it and the quantity “1312,” in response to the Justice Division. Through the investigation, legislation enforcement collected DNA from the scene of the assault.

WISCONSIN POLICE INVESTIGATING AFTER GROUP TAKES CREDIT FOR MOLOTOV COCKTAIL ATTACK, WARNS OF MORE VIOLENCE 

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In March 2023, legislation enforcement recognized Roychowdhury as a doable suspect. The affidavit stated officers conducting surveillance on a protest on the Wisconsin State Capitol over the development of an Atlanta public security middle dubbed “Cop Metropolis,” noticed a person later recognized as Roychowdhury. 

Native cops later noticed Roychowdhury get rid of meals in a public trash can, and the officers recovered the leftover meals and associated gadgets, and legislation enforcement collected DNA from the meals. The affidavit says officers recovered a paper bag full of “1 / 4 portion of {a partially} eaten burrito wrapped in waxed paper, a dirty serviette, a crumpled serviette, a stack of napkins, the wrapper of the burrito, a crumpled meals wrapper, [and] 4 unopened sizzling sauce packets.” 

The Madison, Wisconsin workplace of pro-life group Wisconsin Household Motion was attacked and vandalized in Could 2022. (WKOW)

“On March 17, 2023, legislation enforcement suggested {that a} forensic biologist examined the DNA proof recovered from the assault scene and in contrast it to the DNA collected from the meals contents. The forensic biologist discovered the 2 samples matched and sure had been the identical particular person,” the Justice Division stated. 

State Rep. Barbara Dittrich, a Republican, shared screenshots to Twitter Tuesday displaying that the College of Wisconsin-Madison’s web site listed Roychowdhury as a trainee/analysis assistant for the Biophysics Interdisciplinary PhD in Structural and Computational Biology and Quantitative Biosciences. 

A LinkedIn profile for Roychowdhury additionally listed a UWMadison Physician of Philosophy – PhD Biochemistry below training. 

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“This man must be charged with home terrorism, and the nice taxpayers of this state shouldn’t be paying his wage,” Dittrich tweeted. 

In an replace, the lawmaker stated UWMadison campus “notified us after this submit that Mr. Roychowdhurdy ended his affiliation with the UW System the 12 months that this incident occurred. I’m glad to listen to that the taxpayers won’t be on the hook paying this particular person’s wage till a verdict is reached.”

The college’s Could 14, 2022, graduation announcement listed Roychowdhurdy as a doctoral candidate. 

“The person that you reference obtained a PhD in biochemistry from UW-Madison in Could 2022. He’s now not affiliated with the college,” a college spokesperson additionally instructed Fox Information Digital, with out offering additional remark concerning the allegations towards Roychowdhurdy. 

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If convicted, Roychowdhury faces a compulsory minimal penalty of 5 years and a most of 20 years in jail, prosecutors stated. 



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