The fire drew outrage from members of the city s Armenian community and District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who called the act cowardly and hateful. This act of violence was not just an attack on a building, but on a congregation. This was an attack on a community, FBI Special Agent in Charge Craig Fair said in a statement. We are counting on members of the community to keep our city safe. Every lead will be thoroughly investigated.
Separately from the arson, investigators are also looking into two vandalism incidents that have occurred at an Armenian school.
In July, suspects were seen on surveillance video breaking into the Krouzian-Zekarian-Vasbouragan Armenian School at 825 Brotherhood Way and vandalizing its walls with graffiti that conveyed anti-Armenian messages. Then, just four days after the Sept. 17 arson, officers found a sign outside the school was riddled with bullet holes. No one was injured in the shooting, police said.