A Kansas man has been charged in connection with a fire that damaged a ceremonial tipi at Haskell Indian Nations University in Lawrence. The tipi, which was built to honor the 2020 graduating class at Haskell, was destroyed by fire early on May 9 at the school's campus in Lawrence.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports thirty-two-year-old Ryan Simpson, of Lawrence, was charged with arson – a felony – and two counts of misdemeanor criminal trespassing. The Lawrence-Douglas County fire department said that the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were helping with the investigation.
A fundraiser, started with a goal of $3,000 to cover the costs of a new tipi, collected more than $15,000 within a couple of days. According to a Facebook post from the organization, the Haskell Foundation is hoping to use the surplus in its Student Emergency Fund.
