mobanmarketMIAMI BEACH, FL — An alleged plan to burn down a large condominium building along the waterfront in Miami Beach was thwarted in what police are describing as a possible hate crime directed toward Jewish residents. A 72-year-old man was taken into custody and police later recovered dozens of filled gasoline containers in the building, according to Ernesto Rodriguez of the Miami Beach Police Department. No one was injured.
“Our investigators eventually identified and then actually intercepted the suspect in the parking garage of the building,” Rodriguez said Friday. “At that moment, he was in possession of two gasoline containers. He had already dumped other containers with gasoline down a trash chute and residents could smell the fumes of gasoline throughout the building.”
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Walter Stolper was charged with attempted first degree arson, but may face additional federal offenses. He lives in a 15th floor apartment of the same building he allegedly tried to burn down, the Pavilion condominiums at 5601 Collins Avenue.
But late Friday afternoon, Miami Beach police said that they found an 28 additional containers of gasoline, sulfur powder and potassium nitrate in Stolper’s storage room inside the residential high-rise.
“Detectives have now charged the defendant with attempted murder,” according to Rodriguez. “We continue to work with the FBI and State Attorney’s Office on this investigation.We remain confident the work of our detectives averted a tragedy.”
Rodriguez said that the Miami Beach Fire Department conducted a “thorough inspection, mitigated any threat and rendered the building safe.” The building did not have to be evacuated.
Court documents said Stolper was pushing a shopping cart with gasoline when he was taken into custody.
“As we approached the defendant, we smelled a strong odor of gasoline emitting from the shopping car and the defendant’s vehicle,” court documents said. “A total of eight plastic containers filled with gasoline were found in the garbage chute dumpster. Further investigation revealed that these containers had been tossed down the garbage chute.”
Miami Beach police said Stolper gave police permission to search his apartment, where they found Nazi books and other items with swastikas on them.
“The suspect’s motivation appears to have been a combination of anger at an upcoming eviction and anger toward fellow residents who are Jewish,” Rodriguez said.
He added that the arson charge may be elevated to a hate crime.
“We are working closely with the Miami Dade State Attorney’s Office who will evaluate this matter for a possible hate crime enhancement,” according to Rodriguez.
Police seized a firearm along with two black electrical fans. One witness told police Stolper had shown anger and aggression to fellow residents and the board of directors on multiple occasions.
Stolper allegedly told another resident that he planned to fill plastic containers with gasoline, pour the gasoline down the building’s main drain and then ignite it.
He allegedly planned to use the electrical fans to help spread the flames.
“The defendant was interviewed inside his apartment,” court documents added. “The defendant said ‘I bought the gas to make a small BBQ.”
Watch as police recover dozens of gasoline containers from a Miami Beach condo:
Photo courtesy Miami Beach Police Department
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