Woman arrested in Central Coast monastery fire after posting video on social media
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A California woman has been arrested on suspicion of setting fire to a Central Coast monastery in March after her social media posts connected her to the fire, authorities say.
GuoGuo Lu, 36 of Mountain View, was arrested after allegedly setting fire to the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in Carmel Valley, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office announced in a Tuesday news release.
The monastery, which caught fire on March 27, is the oldest Japanese Buddhist Soto Zen monastery in the United States, the Sheriff’s Office said.
The arrest occurred after a law enforcement investigation found online comments connecting Lu to the fire and threatening future violence toward Buddhist temples in California, the release said.
Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Andres Rosas told The Tribune on Tuesday that Lu, who also goes by Fiona Guo Guo Lu on social media, posted a video on Facebook of a burning building, which monastery staff confirmed to authorities was the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center.
The video, which was still online publicly as of Tuesday, was posted on March 27 with the caption, “Egyptians think they can revive Zen.”
According to the release, Lu was being held in the Napa County Jail on charges unrelated to the Monterey County fire as of Tuesday, awaiting transfer to the Monterey County Jail.
“At this time, there is no reason to believe she is an ongoing threat to the public,” the Sheriff’s Office said.
In Monterey County, Lu was slated to be booked on suspicion of charges of arson; terrorizing by destructive device, explosive or arson; criminal threats; and committing a felony hate crime, the release said. Her bail was set at $130,000.
The fire was still under investigation as of Tuesday.
Law enforcement requested that anyone with information about the fire, related social media posts or threats toward Buddhist institutions in California contact Deputy Aly Najem or Deputy Kyle Massa at 831-755-5111, or submit an anonymous tip through the Sheriff’s Office website at mcso.countyofmonterey.gov.
“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,” Sheriff Tina Nieto said in the release. “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.”
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