Sacramento Homeless Shelter Suspiciously Burns Down Days After Being Vandalized

by Natalie Wendt · 2010-06-29 13:06:00 UTC
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Last Sunday morning a West Sacramento shelter suffered a devastating fire that officials suspect was arson. An explosion started the blaze, ruining the Broderick Christian Center within minutes. No one was injured because the shelter was closed on Sundays.

Though the fire is suspicious, it's too early to know for sure that it was intentional. But the fire wasn't the first attack on the Center. Twice in the previous week, tires were slashed, windows smashed, and oil was poured on six church-owned buses and vans. Local officers and federal agents are investigating the fire as a possible hate crime.

The shelter provided transitional housing and transportation to substance abuse programs and mental health services. As many as 500 people relied on the Center's twice-daily meals and food boxes. The Center also offered showers, a clothing bank, laundry and mail services, along with childcare and a child development program for homeless families with kids. Supported by the American Baptist Churches USA, Broderick Christian Center has been part of the West Sacramento community for 60 years. The Center's executive director Alvin Lewis says that volunteers will continue to help as best they can. For the time being, other churches will be taking over some of the services the Center provided.

Early evidence has the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigating the fire as arson. Though the vandalism suggests a hate crime, they also are considering the possibility that the arsonist had used the shelter's services and was disgruntled. Okay, a person who's mad about some shelter rules is going to get bomb-making materials, rig an explosion and burn down a place where hundreds of people eat? All the facts aren't in yet, but come on. This is yet another reminder why hate crime laws need to add the homeless to the list of protected groups.

Photo credit: Muffet

Natalie Wendt is an elementary school teacher and freelance writer. She has volunteered at Hope House, a shelter for homeless women, and with Food Not Bombs.

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