Friday, December 19th 2014, 7:08 pm
Oklahoma City police are investigating a report of arson after a family's car was set on fire.
It happened near Northwest 122nd and Council, where spray paint was also splattered in the family's driveway.
12/19/14 Related Story: Explosion, Car Fire Rattle OKC Neighborhood Early Friday Morning
Both police and fire crews were called to the home, even though the family was able to put out the fire themselves.
But what they found, led officers to believe the fire was no accident.
"I would never in my mind think of doing such a thing, that's dark right there and evil,” said homeowner Mohamad El Samad.
Samad is still in disbelief that his home was splattered with red spray paint and the front of his car was burned to a crisp. He said he was outside late taking out the trash when a man he never met next door, asked for a ride to the liquor store.
"I told him, it's Oklahoma, liquor stores are closed now it's 12:30, they insisted, insisted," El Samad said.
El Samad went inside his home and said less than 10 minutes later, someone rang his doorbell and ran off. Then he heard a boom.
"Woke up like 1 oclock to a loud explosion like literally our house shook," said wife Tricia Phillips.
“Someone started banging on our door and yelling and saying, hey your car blew up, it was scary, I mean, people's cars don't blow up."
The family quickly put out the flames themselves before both fire and police crews responded.
“Looking at it is painful, I don't know what they did or what caused it, from what the fire department said, someone put a paint can and exploded it, that's a joke?" El Samad said.
The family said they live in a quiet, peaceful neighborhood and have only lived in their home for two months and are stunned they were targeted.
"I built my whole life around peace, survival and safety, and it's sad just to happen, I don't want to accuse anybody, but we're going to say whoever maybe was drunk, no accusations at all."
It's not certain if the person asking about the liquor store is the person who set the fire.
No one was injured, and no arrests have been made, but the fire is under investigation.
December 19th, 2014
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