Authorities in Duluth announced Sunday that a 36-year-old man faces charges of first-degree arson in the fire that destroyed a synagogue last week, and that there is no indication that the fire was a hate crime.
The nearly 120-year-old Adas Israel Congregation synagogue in downtown Duluth was destroyed in an early morning fire on Monday, Sept. 9.
Duluth Police Chief Mike Tusken said at a news conference that surveillance video and tips from residents directed investigators to the suspect, who was arrested Friday.
Authorities said the fire started in a sukkah — a temporary structure next to the synagogue constructed for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Tusken and Fire Chief Shawn Krizaj said there was no indication that any accelerants were used to fuel the fire, but they did not provide information on how or why the fire was started.