Seattle Fire Department employee arrested after alleged threats to councilmember

SEATTLE — According to the Seattle Police Department, a city fire department employee was arrested Friday in connection with threats made against city council member Kshama Sawant.

The 42-year-old man was booked into the King County Jail for cyberstalking, identity theft and computer trespass in what SPD said was a “series of threatening emails” that were sent this year to Sawant.

The employee, confirmed by Seattle Fire Department to be firefighter/EMT Andrew Finseth, was nominated by his peers and voted firefighter of the year in 2018, SFD officials said.

According to SFD, the arrest is in relation to threats made from a fire department email address to the council member in late 2020 and early 2021.

SFD said that Finseth was placed on administrative leave, pending the upcoming legal process and an internal investigation.

According to officials, one SFD employee was investigated, leading to the arrest of Finseth.

Officials with SPD said they will investigate “any threat made against any public official, and will work with prosecutors to ensure they are held responsible.”

Several other unrelated threats made against elected officials also have been investigated, SPD said.

Another case involving threats against a different city council member already has been forwarded to the city attorney’s office, according to police officials.

Cox Media Group