Club XYZ in Knoxville target of "suspicious" fire

Club XYZ, a gay bar in Knoxville, TN, was set on fire early Sunday morning. Knoxville Fire Department Capt. D.J. Corcoran characterized the fire as suspicious without saying why.

Suspicion is certainly warranted since this fire follows the terrible blaze that destroyed the Stutte family home less than 40 miles away in Vonore, TN. Arsonists who set fire to the Stutte home spraypainted "queers" on the side of their garage leading many to characterize the heinous act as an anti-gay hate crime.

It's still too early to tell if the fire at Club XYZ is a hate crime. Call the Knoxville Fire and Explosion Unit 865-637-1386 if you have information about a possible cause for the fire.