FBI investigating 2017 death of Asian American Colorado teen as hate crime

(Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

By Brian Brant

(BAILEY, Colo.) The FBI announced it is investigating the 2017 death of an Asian American Colorado teen as a possible hate crime, according to The Associated Press.

In a statement, the agency said it was probing the death of Maggie Long as a “hate crime matter.” However, the FBI did not provide any information about what they were investigating a hate crime motive.

Long's death was ruled a homicide and authorities later released sketches of who they believe were involved in her death. No arrests have been made.

The victim's body was found inside her family’s home in December 2017 in Bailey, Colorado, after a fire broke out.

Investigators believed the 17-year-old had an altercation with the suspects before the fire started. Park County Sheriff Tom McGraw has said that Long was “purposely set on fire and burned alive.”

Lynna and Connie Long, the victim's sisters, said they did not notice any overt Asian discrimination when they lived in the community, but hoped to encourage people to reconsider interactions that might have been anti-Asian.

“This is an angle that wasn’t looked into in the past, and at this point, it is no stone left unturned. Looking at the extent of violence in this crime, that is certainly an angle to look more closely into,” she said.

The FBI's investigation comes increased violence against the Asian American community since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

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