GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn — Leaders of a Golden Valley think tank said Thursday that they are offering a reward in the suspected arson that gutted their office and two other conservative organizations' offices.
The Center for the American Experiment announced $15,000 will be rewarded for "information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals" who started the fires last month.
In the early morning hours of Sunday, Jan. 28, several firefighters fought the blaze at the multi-story office building at 8421 Wayzata Blvd.
The fire damaged the Center of the American Experiment, the Upper Midwest Law Center and Take Charge which are all politically conservative organizations.
On Feb. 2, the FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms confirmed that the fires are being investigated as arson.
"The FBI is taking this case very seriously and we hope this substantial reward will help them catch the people responsible," said John Hinderaker, President of the Center of the American Experiment, in the news release. "The free flow of ideas does not work when one side resorts to violence. We want these people caught and are willing to offer this reward to make it happen."
In an incident report released this week, Assistant Golden Valley Fire Chief Dominique LaRue Guzman described the response to the fires and documents that the fire on the first floor started with "multiple heat sources, including multiple ignitions." The report says the fire started when a flammable liquid or gas in a container or pipe - specifically gasoline - was ignited.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI office locally by calling (763) 569-8000 or visiting https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/minneapolis.
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