Fires heavily damage anti-abortion ministry in ABQ; hate crime investigation launched
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. In what investigators say could be a hate crime, at least one arsonist set a series of fires early Wednesday morning inside a building housing an anti-abortion ministry across the street from a Northeast Albuquerque Planned Parenthood.
The suspect or suspects smashed a window to gain entry to the modest white brick building, then set at least four fires in its chapel and gathering area, according to a leader of the ministry Project Defending Life.
The FBI was called in several hours later and is now assisting the Albuquerque Fire Department to determine whether any federal violations were committed, said Frank Fisher, an FBI spokesman.
Hate crime could be on the table, depending on what we find, he said.
No suspects have been identified, but Fisher released a video and three surveillance photos of a white car that was in the area at the time the fires were started.
Read more: https://www.abqjournal.com/895163/fbi-investigating-suspected-arson-at-pro-life-ministry.html