"I come from a country where everybody's welcome," said Veronica Caruthers, who lives in an apartment next to the Silver Flame restaurant, near 61st and Sheridan.
She left her native Chile 25 year ago and now owns a restaurant in Tulsa.
We told her investigators suspect a possible hate crime occurred right next to where she lives.
"What happened over there in that restaurant, I feel like it was racism," she said.
Tulsa fire crews, along with federal ATF agents, combed through evidence for a better part of the morning Tuesday.
In addition to trying to burn the restaurant down, someone left marks of hate sprawled on the building's exterior- a swastika and a message reading "a lover makes a liar."
"I can imagine how the owner feels."
According to someone who identified himself as a friend of the owner, the restaurant is run by a Syrian family and they've experienced vandalism to their property before.
"It is sad because you're here trying to live a good life, not disturbing the peace and trying to do the best you can. This is supposed to be a safe community, but you don't feel safe anymore."
Whomever tried to burn up the place wasn't successful because an overhead sprinkler was activated. That actually kept a lot of evidence intact.
Investigators hope that will help pinpoint an individual or group responsible.
If you have any information, call the arson hotline, that number is 596-ARSN.
