Wider Investigation Launched After Suspicious Fire Set Outside Home Of Black Manhattan Beach Family
MANHATTAN BEACH (CBSLA.com) — Authorities announced Friday that they have launched a joint investigation between law enforcement officials and firefighters to determine the cause of a suspicious fire set outside the home of a black Manhattan Beach family.
The blaze at the front entrance of the home was reported about 2:15 a.m. Wednesday in the 700 block of 11th Street, according to the Manhattan Beach Fire Department.
"A fire from all indications appears to have been purposely set on the front porch," the Manhattan Beach Police Department said in a statement. "The motivation for this crime has not been determined. However, all possible motives, including this being a hate crime, are being investigated. We have not ruled out any possibility."
Officials say the family was home at the time and got out safely after being alerted by a dog and smoke detectors.
"The fire was extinguished and found to be confined to the front entrance, with significant smoke damage to the second and third floor. The cause of the fire is suspicious in nature," a Fire Department statement said.
Ron Clinton, who moved into the home with his wife and three children about a year ago, said he fears his family may have been attacked because they are black.
The fire was ignited by a burning tire left at their front door, Clinton said. The fire caused more than $200,000 in smoke damage to the home's second and third floors, officials said.
Clinton says he and his family have no quarrel with anyone in the neighborhood, but odd items have been left at their front door since they moved in, including drug paraphernalia, trash and large items.
"We don't know who could have done it," Clinton said. "But being we are the only African-American family in that area, it was brought to my front door and it feels like it's personal."
Clinton's wife, Malissia, who is a lawyer, weighed in during a news conference Friday: "Until I have proof to the contrary, we were targeted because of the color of our skin. We are African-Americans. We've been African-Americans all our lives living in this country, and we are allowed to reach conclusions based on our experience. That is my entitlement."
She continued: "What I can say is that the community has rallied behind us, and we think it's isolated. We don't think that the community is racist. We think an individual or individuals are racist … Help us find who did it, and then we'll know."
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