The blaze early Friday destroyed a Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Lacey, a suburb of Olympia, according to Jason Chudy, a spokesperson for the Seattle Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. No one was injured in the Friday's blaze and no arrests have been.
Three other Kingdom Halls in Thurston County were torched, and a fourth Kingdom Hall was hit by gunfire, according to the ATF.
The incidents occurred in close proximity to one another and are believed to be related, according to the ATF.
Speaking to reporters after Friday's blaze in Lacey, Thurston County Sheriff John Snaza said that there have been "many attacks" on Kingdom Halls in the county.
Snaza said it's sickening to think of someone attacking houses of worship out of "some sort of animosity toward any religion."
The sheriff said local Jehovah's Witnesses are "terrified."
On March 19, an arson caused minor damage to a Kingdom Hall in Tumwater, south of Olympia, and to the Cain Road Kingdom Hall in Olympia, the ATF said. No one was injured in those blazes. On May 15, a Kingdom Hall in Yelm was struck by about 35 rifle rounds, causing more than $10,000 in damage, the ATF said.
Another blaze torched the Olympia Kingdom Hall on July 3, the ATF said.
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