A man has been arrested in connection with a suspected arson outside the Jewish Museum of Maryland on August 4, Baltimore police announced Saturday.
Assadollah Hashemi, 66, was charged with second-degree arson and first-degree attempted malicious burning. According to charging documents, surveillance video captured the car model and license plate of the vehicle used to flee the scene after the fire was set, both of which were linked to Hashemi. Baltimore police added that Hashemi has a history of fire-related crimes.
A federal investigation was launched after scorch marks were discovered by a member of the museum’s renovation team outside the front entrance of the museum.
The museum is located between two historic synagogues on Baltimore’s Lloyd Street. The Lloyd Street Synagogue is Maryland’s oldest synagogue, having welcomed its first congregants in 1845. The museum has been closed for the past year due to renovations and has not reported any prior threats to its property or staff. Police have not confirmed whether the incident is being investigated as a hate crime, however the location of the target drew scrutiny and condemnation from the local Jewish community.
“It’s hard to believe someone would randomly light a small fire outside an institution that’s clearly labeled as Jewish between two historic synagogues that there’s not some antisemitic or anti-Israel intent,” Howard Libit, the Executive Director of the Baltimore Jewish Council, said.