Man charged with arson for torching home of black Upstate N.Y. firefighter was neighbor

[BeyondGeography]

The lone black firefighter of an upstate New York town whose home burned to the ground just two days after receiving a racist letter was shocked to learn that man arrested for the act of arson was a neighbor and former firefighter.

Matthew Jurado, 39, admitted to police that he torched Kenneth Walker’s North Tonawanda home in retaliation for getting removed from his job as a volunteer firefighter. He did not claim responsibility for the hate-filled letter, but claims “he knows who wrote it.”

Police told WGRZ that Jurado “didn’t want to tell us who that person was," that wrote the nasty note.

Jurado had been recently let go from the Live Hose Co. No. 4 volunteer fire department because he was not properly trained, Buffalo News reported. The suspected arsonist told police that he set fire to Walker's home in retaliation for losing his job. Walker and Jurado had trained together but worked at two different departments in North Tonawanda, just north of Buffalo...

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/man-charged-torching-black-upstate-n-y-firefighter-home-article-1.2739665

A GoFundMe page has been set up for the Walker family and is nearing its $100K goal after one day. You can donate here:

https://www.gofundme.com/2hunioc

[Sophiegirl]

1. Kick

Over $100,000 raised so far.

There are good people in this world.

ETA: in the comments, there is a request for donations to be sent to the Gratwick Fire Department to avoid the Gofundme fees.

[BeyondGeography]

2. Yes

Thank you.

[awoke_in_2003]

10. How much does Gofundme take?

It makes me happy to see so many chipping in. It gives me hope.

[BeyondGeography]

12. It's at $131K and they take 8%

5% off the donation and a 2.9% payment fee (this is from a comment on the page). So that would leave about $120K net right now.

[jtuck004]

3. Is there a hate crime statute up there? I'm thinking this should

be about 30 years in prison...

of which they could take off 20 if he borrowed money, kept the debt, and gave the house free and clear to the neighbor whose home he burned. Banks won't, but maybe family could.

Not like he is gonna need it for awhile.

[whistler162]

8. Yup...

http://ypdcrime.com/penal.law/article485.htm

[fleabiscuit]

4. Kick...

[LisaM]

5. Arsonists are just plain messed up people

There have been a few serial arson events in Seattle, and the people involved almost inevitably have ties to the fire department.

[ailsagirl]

6. Former firefighter??

Horrible

Just visited GoFundMe-- they've collected $104k
Glad to hear that most people are decent

[MagickMuffin]

7. Jurado claims he didn't write the letter but knows who did,

perhaps/maybe his girlfriend did. Of course this is only speculation, as she did call 911 about the fire.

[lillypaddle]

9. kick n/t

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

11. Why am I still surprised by this kind of unspeakably selfish behavior? If so many

people are willing to elevate a selfish, spoiled, bully like Trump to the highest office in the land, I guess it should be no surprise there are people out there who will burn down the house of a neighbor who's only mistake, apparently, was not losing his own job as a firefighter.

OK, that and maybe that he was black. But hey, at least the arsonist didn't write the nasty letter!

[ailsagirl]

13. One kind donor wrote

My heart is with you and your family. I will help prove that love trumps hate. ❤️

[JI7]

14. this is a good example of many white male Trump Supporters

the resentment towards minorities and feeling they took something away from them.

never mind that facts show he was removed from the job because he was unfit to do the job . he sees a black guy who has something that he doesn't and views it as an injustice.