FBI: Planned Parenthood clinic fire is possible hate crime

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A fire at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia, Missouri, was intentionally set and is being investigated as a possible hate crime, the FBI said in a statement Tuesday.

The agency also said it is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction of anyone responsible for the fire early Sunday .

The FBI said surveillance video shows a person wearing dark clothing entering the Planned Parenthood-Columbia Health Center about 4:05 a.m. Sunday. When that person later walked out of the clinic, smoke could be seen coming from the building, according to the agency.

No one was inside the building when the fire was reported. The building’s sprinkler system extinguished the fire before Columbia firefighters arrived. Firefighters told police the fire was “suspicious in nature,” Columbia police said.

Federal civil rights crimes investigated by the FBI include violations of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which makes it a crime to intentionally damage or destroy the property of a facility because it provides reproductive health services.

The clinic remained closed Tuesday. Dr. Brandon Hill, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains, said in a statement Monday that the building sustained limited damage and crews are working to reopen it as soon as possible.

“Planned Parenthood Great Plains has a long history serving patients in Columbia, and we remain committed to providing a full range of sexual and reproductive health services in this community,” he said.

A spokeswoman for the organization didn’t immediately return a call Tuesday.

The Columbia clinic does not currently provide abortions because of new state regulations that took effect last year requiring abortion doctors to have admitting physician privileges at nearby hospitals.