Suspect in arson at San Francisco Hillel House under arrest

By Tim Fang

Police arrested a man on suspicion of arson following a fire at a religious organization near the San Francisco State University campus earlier this month.

According to authorities, a fire broke out at the Hillel House on Banbury Drive around 2 p.m. on Dec. 5. The building, which serves Jewish college students in the area, was occupied at the time.

No injuries were reported. San Francisco Hillel said that only staff and no students were in the building when the fire took place.

Following the fire, the organization said the building sustained significant damage to the basement, a bathroom and programming materials. The group’s Hanukkah-themed Shabbat was also canceled.

Police said the fire was set outside the building and damaged the structure. A preliminary investigation determined that the fire was suspicious in nature and may have been intentionally started.

“We know this news is unsettling. Our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of our students, staff, and community,” the organization said in its Facebook page on Wednesday. “We are deeply grateful for the care and support we’ve received during this difficult time.”

During an investigation by the police department’s Arson Task Force, investigators identified a suspect who was in custody in the San Francisco County Jail for an unrelated matter.

The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Mitchell Hoyt of San Francisco, was booked on suspicion of causing fire to an inhabited structure and setting property on fire.

In a statement, San Francisco police said there is no probable cause to arrest Hoyt for a hate crime at this time.

A year ago, the Hillel House was the target of an attempted break-in and antisemitic vandalism.

Hillel said they had planned to move out of the building in January and onto a temporary space on campus for a renovation, which is expected to take 12 to 18 months.