A Florida woman reportedly suspected her son lit a synagogue on fire after she realized a gas can was missing from her garage the night of the Sept. 19 attack.
The mother of Blake Hoover noticed the gas can was missing the night of the arson at the Chabad of Charlotte County after her son told her he was going out, FOX 4 reported, citing a police report. The woman, not identified, allegedly called her son and implored him not to commit arson.
The woman later discovered the gas can was back in her garage but was empty, the documents alleged. When she questioned her son, he allegedly told her he “just sprayed the letter J,” a term she claimed he used to refer to Jewish people.
The woman suspected her son might be responsible for the attack following details shared via a Sept. 20 news report, according to the probable cause affidavit. The woman allegedly said her son had previously made threats and anti-Semitic remarks.
The suspect’s mother also called her sister to share her suspicions that her son was the arsonist, the documents alleged. The suspect’s aunt allegedly saw him exit and come back to the residence the night of the fire carrying cans of black spray paint.
She told law enforcement her sister said that her nephew “rants that he hates Jewish people among other people,” police said. The suspect’s mother told investigators she feared her son was responsible for the arson attack when they responded to the home on Sept. 22 about an unrelated hit-and-run investigation, according to deputies. (RELATED: REPORT: Ex-Mayoral Candidate Dies After Shootout)
Hoover, 31, has been charged with arson and criminal mischief as a result of the incident, according to a Sept. 22 press release from the Punta Gorda Police Department. Police and firefighters responded to a fire alarm at around 10:48 p.m. on Sept. 19 at the synagogue and allegedly found an accelerant was employed to kick off a fire at the back wall of the children’s classroom.
The letter “J” had also been spray-painted on walls and sidewalks on the premises, police said. No one was inside when the incident took place.
Hoover first appeared before a judge Tuesday and had a $25,000 bond set for the charge of criminal mischief, according to Gulf Coast News Now. No bond was ruled on for the arson charge due to a pending pre-trial detention hearing. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 3.