Fire At Home Of Arlington Rabbi Suspicious: Police

ARLINGTON, MA — Police are seeking the public's help in identifying a person seen walking away from a home shortly after a suspicious outdoor fire broke out. Police and fire crews responded to a home on Lake Street around 11 p.m. Saturday after a fire alarm went off.

A couple and their three children were inside a car parked in the driveway. The man told police he and his family left the house when they smelled smoke and heard the fire alarm. Firefighters put out a small fire burning on one side of the home, which damaged the outside shingles.

Investigators determined the fire was suspicious, police said.

The homeowner is a local rabbi who conducts religious services at his house. Police said they are investigating the possibility of a hate crime but have not found evidence indicating the family was specifically targeted.

"Out of respect for the privacy of the resident, in the early phases of this investigation, we did not draw attention to the fact that the resident is a rabbi, but as this investigation has continued and after consulting with the resident and the Arlington Human Rights Commission, we unfortunately have to leave open all possibilities until the investigation is complete," Chief Julie Flaherty said in a statement. "We strongly encourage anyone who may have information about this fire or the suspicious person seen leaving the area to contact the Arlington Police Department."

Extra police patrols are in place in the area. Police are looking for a man or woman with a "specific gait/posture" seen on surveillance video walking away from the area at the time of the fire.

"Arlington is a community that rallies around its own, and we stand ready to support our residents and Arlington’s Jewish community in any possible way," Arlington Human Rights Commission Co-Chair Naomi Greenfield said in a statement. "We are keenly aware of the rise in hate speech and biased-related incidents around the country, though we hope the investigation will conclude that this is not one of them. There is no place in our community to incite fear and threaten the safety and security of our residents on the basis of their beliefs and religious background."

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Arlington Police Department at 781-643-1212.