Massachusetts State Police dispatch bomb squad after State House vandalism, FBI involved

Matthew Medsger, Boston Herald on Jul 23, 2025

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BOSTON — While most of the Bay State was sleeping Tuesday night, the Massachusetts State Police had to call for a bomb squad to handle a suspicious package found in the Boston Common and thought to be connected with vandalism near the State House very early Wednesday morning.

State troopers were called to Beacon Street sometime around 3:30 a.m. after someone reported vandalism “immediately in front of the State House,” MSP spokesperson Tim McGuirk said in a statement.

“Preliminary information indicates that a suspect poured white paint on the gate and spray painted before fleeing into the Boston Common,” McGuirk said.

Shortly thereafter, the state police received a second call — that a suspicious package was sitting in the middle of the Common.

Suspecting the package might have been abandoned by the alleged graffitist and therefore potentially dangerous, the state police bomb squad was sent to investigate “out of an abundance of caution,” McGuirk said.

The MSP has processed the crime scene, but have not yet identified a suspect. Detectives from Troop H will be investigating, according to McGuirk. The FBI arrived on scene Wednesday morning.

“Investigators will continue their work to identify the person(s) responsible,” he said.

Anyone who might be able to assist in identifying the alleged vandal is asked to call the State Police Boston Barracks at (617) 727-6780.

Gov. Maura Healey, State House Speaker Ron Mariano, and State Senate President Karen Spilka shared a joint statement following the early morning incident, noting the vandals had damaged a building central to the history of the state and popular with visitors and tourists.

“We are deeply disturbed to learn about vandalism at the State House overnight. The State House is a revered building steeped in history, and staff works hard to keep it in pristine condition for employees and visitors alike. There is absolutely no excuse for vandalism, at the State House or anywhere. We are grateful to the Massachusetts State Police and their local, state and federal partners for their quick response and efforts to identify those responsible,” they said in their joint statement.

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