KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Six months after someone set the fire, the investigation into the arson that destroyed the Planned Parenthood of Knoxville clinic remains open.
"There's no new information, nothing has changed," said Knoxville Fire Department Assistant Chief Mark Wilbanks on Friday.
A reward of up to $10,000 remains available for tips that lead to catching the arsonist, Wilbanks said.
"We would love to catch 'em," he said.
The fire broke out shortly before 7 a.m. Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, at the building at 710 N. Cherry St. Planned Parenthood was renovating the building.
It was the second time someone targeted the building for violence. In January 2021 -- on the anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision -- someone fired at least one gunshot into the clinic's front and fled. No one has been charged in that case.
The organization did not perform surgical abortions there. It offered reproductive services and the abortion pill, according to the clinic.
Planned Parenthood had spent more than $2 million on renovating the building, which was a loss. The organization estimated it would require an equal amount to rebuild, which it said at the time it would do.
"The fire on Dec. 31 erased the hard work of many, many people, including our staff, our board of directors, our donors, our contractor," Planned Parenthood CEO Ashley Coffield said.
By the time KFD arrived, flames already had breached the roof, a sign it had been burning for some time before authorities were alerted.
KFD and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives both said they believed the fire was intentional. ATF has forensic expertise in investigating suspicious fires.
KFD investigators are leading the arson investigation. ATF is an assisting agency as is the FBI, he said.
"The case is still under investigation, therefore, we will not release any further information regarding the case at this time," the ATF told WBIR on Friday afternoon.
If you want to share tips that could help catch the arsonist, you can do so anonymously through the Tennessee Arson Hotline at 1-800-762-3017.
You also can directly communicate with KFD or alert East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers at 865-215-7165.
