A fire broke out on March 27, 2026, at the Japanese Buddhist Soto Zen monastery in the United States.
CARMEL VALLEY, Calif. - The Monterey County Sheriff announced on Tuesday that detectives have arrested a 36-year-old woman in connection with a fire at the oldest Japanese Buddhist Soto Zen monastery in the United States.
Hate crime alleged
What we know:
Sheriff Tina Nieto identified the woman as Fiona GuoGuo Lu of Mountain View.
The Tassajara Zen Mountain Center, located at 39171 Tassajara Road in Carmel Valley, was severely damaged on March 27.
Detectives said they found public online statements connecting Lu to the fire and making threats of future violence directed towards Buddhist temples in California.
"The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to protecting every member of our community and ensuring that all people can safely practice their faith without fear of violence, intimidation, or threats," Nieto said in a satement. "We take allegations involving crimes motivated by bias or hatred very seriously and will continue to work diligently to investigate these incidents and hold those responsible accountable under the law."
3-alarm fire at Buddhist Temple in San Jose
San Jose firefighters raced to put out a 3-alarm fire Monday morning at a Buddhist temple, where there had been a similar fire last year.
Motive not revealed
What we don't know:
Efforts to speak to her or determine if she had an attorney were not immediately successful. Her motive was not revealed publicly.
Lu is currently incarcerated at the Napa County Jail for unrelated charges.
She is awaiting extradition to Monterey County. She was booked on charges of terrorizing by destructive device, arson, and felony hate crime. Her bail was set at $130,000.
The Source: Monterey County Sheriff