Arizona
NBC: Ballots damaged in USPS mailbox fire in Phoenix
Jane C. Timm and Austin Mullen of NBC report on a USPS mailbox fire that damaged mail-in ballots in Phoenix.
A blue U.S. Postal Service mailbox in Phoenix was set on fire overnight, damaging several ballots and other pieces of mail, authorities said.
Local law enforcement officials arrested a 35-year-old man in connection to the incident, which occurred at about 1:20 a.m. local time Thursday. The suspect, identified as Dieter B. Klofkorn, admitted committing arson but said it was not related to election, police said at a news conference.
“Why that was his desire, we did not get that far into it,” said the spokesman, Officer Rob Scherer.
The mailbox was a drive-up collection box for mail at the Post Office at 3905 N. 7th Ave., said Rob McDade, a fire spokesman. The fire was extinguished, and the area has been reopened.