A man incarcerated in a fire that destroyed a 119-year-old Minnesota synagogue

Amiot was arrested Friday afternoon and made a statement to the police, but has not been charged yet. Duluth's DP, as well as federal FTA investigators, are still studying the motivation of the fire. A complaint should be filed next week.

"At the moment, there is no reason to believe that it is a crime motivated by bias or hatred," Tusken said at a news conference. Sunday press conference, adding that the classification of the crime was likely to change as the investigation continued.

Duluth police and firefighters reacted to a fire report Monday morning and set fire to Adas Israel, a 119-year-old Orthodox synagogue.

Although firefighters said that no acceleration agent had been used to start the fire, officials said on Sunday that the fire had spread rapidly. throughout the synagogue, which was undergoing significant structural damage.

Firefighters were able to recover some religious artifacts from the synagogue early Monday morning. A firefighter was injured on the scene.

Amiot is a resident of Duluth and the police ignore if he has ever had contact with the synagogue, but she does not disclose additional information about the suspect yet.

"True Judaism is in the heart, it is not in the building." Phillip Sher, Rabbi of Adas Israel, said at Sunday's press conference: "We will continue in one way or another."

Sher called the fire "extremely difficult" and "extremely sad" and said the synagogue hoped to be able to resume its services soon from various locations to cope with the fallout from the fire. suspected arson.

"We are feeling the pain, the loss and the substantial impact for Adas," said Duluth Mayor Emily Larson at the press conference. "We continue to offer our sincere condolences, prayers and support to the entire Jewish community for their loss."