By Andria Simmons
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
DULUTH, Ga. — A former employee of a Korean-language radio station in Duluth was arrested Monday night after allegedly firebombing the station in the afternoon, injuring himself and a visitor to the business, according to the Gwinnett County Fire Department.
Capt. Tommy Rutledge, spokesman for the department, said the former employee, Hong Chae, 51, of Duluth, was taken into custody at Gwinnett Medical Center and charged with two counts of possession of destructive devices and one count of first-degree arson.
Rutledge said Chae walked into the building of radio station AM 1080 about 3:30 p.m. and tossed a Molotov cocktail, causing severe to moderate burns to himself and a visitor to the station.
Chae, a former salesman for the station, and the visitor were taken to area hospitals, Rutledge said.
The visitor was not identified, but Rutledge said he was related to a station employee.
Rutledge said investigators found two Molotov cocktails, one intact. He said Chae appeared to splash or spray accelerant in the front part of the radio station before throwing the Molotov cocktail.
Authorities said they didn’t know a motive. Rutledge said Chae had been fired a few weeks ago.
A station reporter, Ju Han Lee, said he remembered Chae as “a polite, gentle guy.” Lee said 15 to 20 people worked at the station.
The fire at the one-story brick building in an office park off Pleasant Hill Road was out when the Fire Department arrived. The Fire Department said the fire caused minor damage to the station.
Kevin Kim, an on-air personality who was not present when the incident occurred, said the station at 3405 Duluth Park Lane went off the air after the incident because authorities were trying to clear smoke from the building.
Kim said he expected to resume broadcasting today.
Kim said employees were shaken up by the attempted arson.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Kim said. “It’s very, very scary.”
Copyright 2008 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution