Police suspect arson in fire at Wyoming abortion clinic site

Police believe an overnight fire in Wyoming that damaged a building being renovated to house a new abortion clinic was deliberately set

ByMead Gruver Associated Press
May 25, 2022, 3:57 PM

CASPER, Wyo. -- An abortion clinic set to open next month in conservative Wyoming was damaged in a fire early Wednesday that police believe was deliberately set — possibly by someone seen running away from the building carrying what appeared to be a gas can and a bag.

The blaze damaged the inside of the building under renovation to house the clinic in Casper, the second-biggest city in a state where opposition to abortion is widespread.

The clinic, which also planned to provide other health care services for women, had been set to open in June as only the second place in the state to offer abortions. Wyoming’s current lone location for women to get abortions is at a hospital in Jackson, 281 miles (452 kilometers) away.

A person who called authorities before dawn saw someone running from the building with what appeared to be a gas can and a black bag, police said in a Facebook post. Investigators were reviewing video footage from the area in hopes of identifying the suspect or generating a suspect description, police said. No injuries were reported.

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Police suspect someone intentionally set fire to the Casper abortion clinic that's set to open next month. Someone was seen running from the building with a gas can.

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Abortion clinic founder after fire: This world seems to be encased in violence

Ellen Gerst May 25, 2022 Updated 1 hr ago
https://twitter.com/ellengerst

Hours after a fire burned the inside of a Casper abortion clinic set to open next month, clinic founder Julie Burkhart sat on the tailgate of a red truck parked across the street.

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“I have a lot of emotions,” she said. “Anger is probably at the top of the list. ... “I’m sad. This world seems to be encased in violence.”

Police believe the fire was intentional, as does Burkhart. ... According to a statement, police got a call at 3:52 a.m. Wednesday, reporting a possible burglary at the clinic site on Second Street, right next to a Sinclair gas station. The caller said they’d seen someone running away from the building with a “gas can and black bag,” police said.

When officers arrived, they saw smoke. They called the fire department. ... No one was at the clinic at the time, and no injuries were reported. Burkhart said she was told there was “extensive smoke damage” inside, and fire damage affecting one area of the building.

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Casper abortion clinic still scheduled to open despite leaked Roe v. Wade opinion

Maya Shimizu Harris , Ellen Gerst May 3, 2022 Updated 21 hrs ago

The planned Casper abortion clinic is still scheduled to open this summer despite a leaked draft opinion showing the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade, the facility’s founder Julie Burkhart said Tuesday.

“Abortion remains legal in Wyoming,” she said. “While the Supreme Court may be poised to strike a devastating blow to abortion access in Wyoming and across the country, we firmly maintain our resolve to ensure that the people of this state can get the health care they need. We are staunchly and fully committed to offering the full spectrum of reproductive health care, including abortion, at our new Casper clinic opening next month.”

Burkhart announced last month plans to open an abortion clinic in Casper. Wellspring Health Access (formerly known as Circle of Hope Health Care Services) would become the second clinic in Wyoming to offer abortions in the state.

The leaked opinion is only a draft, and could still change. Burkhart said that in the meantime, the clinic’s game plan isn’t changing. If the draft becomes final, she said she still plans to open the clinic and provide other services including OB/GYN, family planning and gender-affirming care.

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