Family Worries House Fire May Be Hate Crime
Westside Family's Home Set On Fire
POSTED: Thursday, October 18, 2007
UPDATED: 11:08 pm EDT October 18,
2007
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A Westside family said the damage to its house by vandals was obvious but why someone would set fire to its home was not.
The front door of the Cais' home remained boarded up Thursday after they said the front of the house was set on fire.
They said the incident was not the first time their home was vandalized and that they believe they were targeted because of their race.
The Cai family said it's concerned that the damage caused to its home was not just arson, but a hate crime.
Homeowner Anna Cai said she was very angry and wanted to know why someone would vandalize her home.
Two trailers within walking distance of the Cais' house were also recently scorched.
Investigators said they were not sure whether the same person caused all three fires, but they have taken a teen into custody in connection with one of the fires.
"A person has been alleged ... a young teenage boy has been alleged. He was actually seen leaving one of the areas that had been on fire," said Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokesman Ken Jefferson.
In the investigator's report, Anna Cai stated her family has been victimized twice before, and there have been several incidents of vandalism in her neighborhood directed at Chinese people.
"I think they're just kind of racist against us," said another member of the Cai family
"I don't know; maybe they are just teenagers," Anna Cai said.
The sheriff's office said it is investigating the possibility of a hate crime but that it has no evidence to back that up.
"She felt that Asian or Chinese people were being targeted. We can't substantiate that. But, I think her purpose for saying it is she's been a victim more than once," Jefferson said.
While investigators have one teenager in custody, the Cais said they were worried that their string of problems in their neighborhood is not over.
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