Sometime between midnight and 6 a.m. on Aug. 26 a Molotov cocktail was thrown through a door window at the east side of All Hallows Church in Sacramento.

A minor fire caused by the device partially burned the door and went out by itself, according to Audrey Lee, public information officer for the Sacramento Police. Damage was limited primarily to the broken window in the door.

Verbum Dei Father Rodolfo Llamas, pastor, learned of the incident when he was called at 7 a.m. A maintenance worker had found the damage at about 6 a.m. and notified the Sacramento Police.

When Father Llamas arrived at the church he found police cars, fire engines and a crime scene investigation unit, including employees of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

Father Llamas said that the parish had not had any prior threats or break-ins.

Sgt. Don Crye of the Sacramento Police Department told The Herald at the scene that there were no suspects identified yet and no threats to the parish or suspicious activity had been reported.

Lee said Aug. 31 that the Sacramento Police and the ATF were jointly investigating the incident and that evidence has been sent to the lab for processing.

“There are no indications at this time to indicate to investigators that this was a hate crime,” Lee said.

Patricia Peterson, principal of All Hallows School, said Aug. 26 that students were starting their third day of the new school year. Her primary concern was making sure students and parents didn’t become frightened by emergency vehicles and crime scene tape clearly visible from the school, she said.

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