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After the arsonists burned down a shop in downtown Los Angeles, the family was destroyed, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage.
Valerie Mendes’ family owns HM Holmiguitus, a beauty supplies store in Santee Alley. They had been in operation for 15 years before the arsonists set fire to their store on July 8th.
Surveillance video filmed a male suspect walking towards the store the morning before opening hours, carrying some unknown items and pushing up a large trash can.
The masked suspect attempts to hide behind the trash can when pouring flammable liquid into the ground at the store’s entrance before illuminating the burning area. He then drives away from the growing flames.
A male arsonist sprints after lighting up a beauty store in Santie Alley in downtown Los Angeles on July 8, 2025. (HM Hormiguitas) HM Hormiguitas, a hairdresser located in downtown LA, was completely Detroyed on July 8, 2025 after the arsonist torched his business. Please fire up at the shop entrance on July 8th, 2025. (HM Hormiguitas) The male suspect saw it illuminating what looked like fabric. (HM Hormiguitas)
“He had a bottle of liquid and poured it into what I think was fabric,” Mendes told KTLA’s Sandra Mitchell.
As Mendes and her family pick up the work, they are left with many unanswered questions.
“We’re scared,” Mendes said. “I don’t know who did this, but when I saw the footage of the man, I realized that it was definitely targeting our family. This was definitely intentional.”
After firefighters put out the flames, the owner was heartbroken to discover that the interior of the beauty shop had been completely destroyed.
“Flame, they looked really big and intense and they reached the ceiling,” Mendes said. “It really caused a lot of damage to the store and the products.”
Mendes said he lost about $70,000 worth of goods and had no insurance to cover the losses.
Arson investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles Fire Department are investigating the incident.
The destructive fire left many nearby business owners on the edge, leaving the suspects on a massive scale, and they were worried that they would become their next target.
“It’s so scary,” said Avdel Gomez, business owner of Santee Ally. “Everyone is worried about that. [the suspect’s] That may be the intention. ”
“It really hurts to see our family business fall like this,” Mendes said.
Anyone with information about the case can call LAPD at 1-877-527-3247.
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