Investigators think arsonist is targeting Fort Bend County deputy with Molotov cocktails

KATY, Texas - Around 9:30 p.m. on Monday, Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls says a Molotov cocktail, or gasoline bomb, was thrown at a front window of the sergeant's home. The window's screen caught fire and turned out to be a close call for the family members who were inside. 

"If one of those had gone into the window or through the window, it could have been deadly because there was an individual sleeping inside, just on the other side of that window," said Sheriff Nehls.

Six days later, at 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, another Molotov cocktail was tossed at a parked car in the driveway, engulfing the car in flames. Moments before that, surveillance video captured a newer model, dark-colored F-250 truck with a ladder rack in the back near the scene.

"What's their intent here? Were they not satisfied with what happened on Monday? They wanted more damage?" asks Sheriff Nehls.

"You're not expecting it to happen again within just a couple of days. We thought it was just a one-time thing," said a neighbor.

Laura, who lives across the street, says her husband spotted that same truck circling around the neighborhood up to five times earlier that day.

"My husband saw it several times yesterday and his intuition was telling him something wasn't right, but he didn't really think about it too much, until after this happened. He's like you know, I saw this truck driving back and forth in the neighborhood," she said.

"This could be related to his work. That employee was a detective for several years and we're looking at his case history. If this was targeted, there's a problem. It would be a hate crime," said Sheriff Nehls.