Federal and local authorities are ramping up efforts to find the person responsible for a targeted arson attack outside a Jewish family’s home in Clayton, Missouri.
In the early morning hours of August 5th, a suspect targeted a residence in the 7500 block of Westmoreland Avenue. Surveillance video shows a suspect set fire to three vehicles parked outside the home then spray-painted “Death to the IDF” on the street before running away.
One of the targeted family members is reportedly a military vet with the Israel Defense Forces.
Police released photos of the suspect. First, he had on a white shirt and an untied necktie. Then, he put on a black hoodie to carry out the attack.
“This is more than vandalism; it is a hateful act of intimidation and only the latest example of what happens when antisemitic and anti-Israel rhetoric are normalized,” Anti-Defamation League Heartland said in a joint statement following the attack.
In a FBI 2024 hate crimes report found, Jews were the target of nearly 70 percent of religiously motivated hate crimes in the U.S. and more than 16 percent of all hate crimes nationally.
“We are a resilient community, and we will not be deterred in our quest to uproot antisemitism and hatred, alone and with our partners. Antisemitism is a social ill that must be rejected by all of society,” the ADL statement said.
Do you recognize this person involved in a hate crime? The suspect set fire to three cars and spray-painted graffiti in front of a Clayton, MO home on 8/5/2025. Contact the #FBI at https://t.co/Xz3Q3f0yKk or 1-800-CALL-FBI. https://t.co/rp8qC2vWev pic.twitter.com/mICqmptQ4l
— FBI St. Louis (@FBIStLouis) December 17, 2025
In an effort to generate fresh leads, several organizations have pooled resources to offer a reward for a hate crime investigation.
The FBI is now offering up to $15,000 for information leading to an identification and arrest, while the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and the Anti-Defamation League have pledged a combined $30,000, payable upon a conviction. Additional contributions from the Jewish National Defense Network and St. Louis Regional CrimeStoppers bring the total to $57,000.
The Clayton Police Department and the FBI will be conducting a “fresh canvass” of the neighborhood in the coming weeks. They are urging residents to revisit any doorbell camera footage or memories from that night, noting that even a “minor” detail could be the missing piece of the puzzle.
