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PHILADELPHIA - Vincent Lang, a 60-year-old Philadelphia man, was arrested Thursday and charged with setting a fire at the Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Federal charge follows mosque fire on Tyson Avenue
What we know:
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Faith and city leaders respond to mosque arson in Northeast Philly
Authorities and community leaders are searching for a suspect accused of committing arson as a hate crime at the Northeast Philadelphia Islamic Center, prompting widespread condemnation and calls for unity.
Prosecutors allege that Lang approached the mosque on the 1400 block of Tyson Avenue in the early hours of July 5 and threw an improvised incendiary device into the entryway, starting a fire inside the building.
If convicted, Lang could receive a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case is being investigated by several agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Arson and Explosives Task Force, the FBI, the Philadelphia Fire Department Fire Marshal’s Office Special Investigations Unit, the Philadelphia Police Department, and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General.
The backstory:
The criminal complaint states that the charge involves damaging property used in interstate commerce.
Authorities have not released information about injuries or the extent of the damage to the mosque.
What’s next for the case
"The charges and allegations contained in the criminal complaint are merely accusations. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty in court," said the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The investigation is ongoing, and officials say more details may be released as the case moves forward.
What we don't know:
Authorities have not shared details about a possible motive, whether anyone was inside the mosque at the time of the fire, or the full extent of the damage.
The Source: Information from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Pennsylvania.