HOUSTON – Officials asked for the public’s help Friday to solve the case of a fire that was set at a mosque.
The fire was reported about 4:30 a.m. at the Northshore mosque on Brownsville Street.
Investigators said someone doused the doors of the mosque in a flammable liquid and then set them on fire. The tires of the imam’s car were also slashed, investigators said.
Law enforcement and leaders from several different faiths gathered at the religious house to show what they called a united front against these types of crime.
“This will not be tolerated,” Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said while pointing out the county’s diversity.
Gonzalez said that investigators are still trying to determine whether the fire will be classified as a hate crime.
A spokeswoman for the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office said investigators are working around-the-clock to solve the crime.
Gonzalez said that while some information is coming in to investigators, he called on the public to come forward with any details. He said anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-8477.
A $5,000 reward is being offered for tips that lead to an arrest in the case.