A man is being held in county jail in connection to the fire that burned down a Minnesota synagogue, police said on Sunday.
Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken said his department is recommending a first degree arson charge for Matthew James Amiot, 36, who has been held without bail since his Friday arrest.
Amiot was arrested on Friday afternoon and gave a statement to police, but has yet to be charged. The Duluth PD, along with federal ATF investigators, are still looking into the motivation of the fire. A complaint is expected to be filed next week.
“At this moment in time, there is no reason to believe that this is a bias or hate crime,” Tusken said in a Sunday press conference, adding the classification of the crime is subject to change as the investigation continues.
Duluth police and firefighters responded to a report of a fire early Monday morning and found Adas Israel Congregation, a 119-year-old Orthodox synagogue, in flames.
Although the fire department said no accelerants were used to start the blaze, officials said Sunday that the fire spread quickly throughout the synagogue, which is facing major structural damage.
Firefighters were able to recover some of the synagogue’s religious artifacts early Monday morning. One firefighter was injured on the scene.
Amiot is a resident of Duluth and police are unaware if he has had prior contact with the synagogue, but they are not releasing further information on the suspect at this time.
“True Judaism is in the heart, it’s not in the building.” Phillip Sher, rabbi at Adas Israel, said at the Sunday press conference, “We will forge ahead somehow.”
Sher called the fire “extremely difficult” and “extremely sad” and said the synagogue hopes to resume services soon from various locations as they deal with the fallout from the suspected arson.
“We feel the pain and loss and substantial impact for Adas,” Duluth Mayor Emily Larson said at the press conference. “We continue to offer our heartfelt condolences and prayers and support to the entire Jewish community for their loss.”
