Politically motivated?
Two windows were smashed Tuesday at the campaign headquarters of Josh Wander (R), candidate for Pittsburgh City Council.
Police have not yet determined who committed the act of vandalism at the office on the corner of Forward and Murray avenues, and say there are no eyewitnesses to the crime.
“We are currently looking for video showing the perpetrators committing this heinous act,” said Zone 4 police officer Dave Blatt.
A sign with holes, probably resulting from fire from a BB gun, was found between the windows inside the office, Wander said.
“I’m hoping it’s not an overzealous supporter of my opponent,” Wander said. “This happened two weeks before the election, which leaves me to believe it was politically motivated.”
Wander said that the damage from the broken windows exceeds $1,000.
The campaign manager for Wander’s opponent, Democrat Corey O’Connor, said that O’Connor’s office on Murray Avenue sustained similar damage this past July, when a BB gun blew out an office window, and that he believed a political motivation for either crime was unlikely.
“To think that someone was intending this as a message and not just malicious vandalism is a huge stretch,” said Damon Andrews, campaign manager for Friends for Corey O’Connor.
“Things like this do happen, particularly when you’re on a traveler’s route. I don’t see any political motivation. Wander is the underdog in this campaign, and I’m sure he appreciates all the attention he’s getting.”
(Toby Tabachnick can be reached at tobyt@thejewishchronicle.net.)
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