Cheyenne police are evaluating whether a man could face criminal charges for setting fire to a book, tossing it into the main branch of the Laramie County Library and pulling a fire alarm, forcing an evacuation of the building.
The man walked into the library at 2200 Pioneer Ave. Monday morning carrying his own copy of the young-adult novel “Paper Towns,” says the Cheyenne Police Department.
A short time later, library staff were extinguishing a burning book, evacuating the building and waiting for first responders after the man allegedly dumped a milkshake on the floor, tossed the smoldering novel into the building and pulled a fire alarm.
The incident remains under investigation, and the CPD says it is still evaluating whether criminal charges are appropriate.
According to police, the man left on foot before officers arrived, then later contacted police and said he wanted to turn himself in. He was subsequently transported to a hospital for a mental health evaluation.
No injuries or property damage were reported.
Milkshake, Fire Alarm And A Burning Book
Joelle Ashley, marketing and communications manager for the Laramie County Library System, said the man bought the milkshake from the library cafe before intentionally dumping it on the floor.
He then lit his personal copy of "Paper Towns" on fire and threw it into the library's entrance area, pulled an alarm, and left, Ashley said.
While police said the book did not continue burning once it landed inside, Ashley said library employees quickly extinguished it and began emergency procedures out of caution. The alarm prompted the library to clear out.
"Safety is something we take very seriously at the Laramie County Library," said Ashley. "We are incredibly proud of our staff's response.
“They were very professional; they were very responsible. They immediately picked up the book, extinguished the fire, and then got everybody out of the building safely."
Staff and patrons remained outside until first responders determined it was safe to return.
Why ‘Paper Towns'
One question that remains unanswered is why the man chose to burn particular book and if the act was some kind of a statement or just random vandalism.
Ashley confirmed the title was "Paper Towns," a young-adult novel that has appeared on lists of frequently challenged books compiled by the American Library Association.
However, she stressed that the library has no information about the man's motivation and is not drawing any conclusions from the choice of title.
"I obviously cannot speculate on his motives at all," Ashley said.
The John Green young adult novel has been targeted for removal by school districts across the nation over its sexual themes and use of profanity.
Police likewise report they have not identified a motive.
Instead, investigators say the incident may have been connected to a mental health crisis rather than criminal intent.
Charges Still Under Review
The investigation remains active.
Police said surveillance footage and physical evidence were collected from the library following the incident. They have identified the man involved but have not publicly released his name.
Meanwhile, library officials say they are grateful the situation ended without injuries and proud of the staff members who responded when a routine Monday morning suddenly became anything but routine.
Ashley said she is unaware of a similar incident ever happening at the library.
Kolby Fedore can be reached at kolby@cowboystatedaily.com.
