Jewish Museum of Maryland suspected arsonist denied bond, had outbursts during hearing

BALTIMORE - A 66-year-old man accused of a hate crime and setting a fire outside of the Jewish Museum of Maryland had several violent outbursts during a virtual bond hearing on Monday.

Assadollah Hashemi was denied bond on charges of second-degree arson and malicious burning.

Hashemi was arrested on Saturday after he allegedly set a fire outside of the locked gates of the Jewish museum on Aug. 4.

"Sunday night around 10:30, pulls up to the museum, puts some kind of an item in front of the locked front gate, lights it on fire and takes off," said Howard Libit, the executive director of the Baltimore Jewish Council.

Police said SWAT arrived at a home and took Hashemi into custody without incident.

Images show the torched marks left by the fire.

"This is the Jewish museum located between two synagogues, so It's something that's really troubling," Libit said. 

Baltimore police said Hashemi has a history of similar crimes, including an incident in July that shows him experiencing a behavioral crisis and then burning a trash can. 

"I wouldn't have never expected something like that to happen," said Crystal Dickens, Hashemi's neighbor. 

Dickens told WJZ Hashemi was new to their apartment building along Druid Park Lake Drive. 

"He said he had just moved into the building but we were on the bus stop and he seemed like a nice guy," Dickens said.

Dickens said the apartment complex works to assist the elderly and those with disabilities. 

In the courtroom the judge mentioned Hashemi's history of bipolar-disorder and mandated a competency evaluation before continuing the hearing.  

"Its a scary situation, but at the same time, this is a senior/disability building, so a lot of people have mental disabilities in this building," Dickens said.

Pending the evaluation, the judge says his next court date will be rescheduled for sometime within the next two weeks.