Crime & Safety
Mosque Fire Being Investigated As A Hate Crime: Police
A flammable liquid was used to set the front door of the ISGH Northshore Masjid Isa ibn Maryam mosque on fire, investigators say.
CLOVERLEAF, TX – The Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office and the Harris County Sheriff's Office are investigating a possible hate crime after the front door of the the ISGH Northshore Masjid Isa ibn Maryam mosque was set on fire early Thursday, according to media reports.
The fire was reported in the the east Harris County community of Cloverleaf at 4:30 a.m. in the 13800 block of Brownsville Street, officials said.
A caretaker who lives on the property heard the fire alarm and ran to investigate. He he found the front door on fire, according to media reports. The caretaker was able to extinguish the fire before it spread to other parts of the building. The caretaker, however, did not see who set the fire, KTRK reported.
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The fire comes just three days after a federal jury convicted Marq Vincent Perez, 26, of Victoria, of setting fire to the Victoria Islamic Center on Jan. 28, 2017. Perez remains in federal custody pending sentencing.
HCFMO investigators are requesting the public’s assistance regarding a fire at a mosque in the 13800 block of Brownsville St. Please contact @CrimeStopHOU with any tips. pic.twitter.com/2uaTB442HO
— Harris Co. FMO (@hcfmo) July" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/hcfmo/stat... 19, 2018
Meanwhile, arson investigators said a flammable liquid was used to set the fire, The Houston Chronicle reported.
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Officials added that a car belonging to the mosque’s imam had all four of its tires slashed, and that it was the only car in the parking lot that was damaged.
Investigators will be working with the ATF and the FBI to determine if this was indeed a hate crime.
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with any information on this case is asked to call 713-222-8477.
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