SCHODACK — A 15-year-old boy from Schodack was arrested Tuesday after allegedly painting racist graffiti on black family's garage and setting the building on fire Sunday night, town police Chief Joseph Belardo said.

The boy, who is white, will not be identified given his age, Belardo said. The case is not closed and police are still investigating whether others were involved, he said.

The teen is charged with 10 felonies: arson, burglary, criminal mischief and seven counts of reckless endangerment.

The boy's age prevents police from charging him with a hate crime but "we still consider it to be a hate crime," Belardo said.

The family of seven escaped their home and were physically unharmed by the blaze that destroyed their detached garage and damaged their house, Belardo said.

"Our agency is standing with this family during this trying time," he said. "We want them to feel like they can live here and be safe."

Earlier Tuesday, Belardo said interviews with neighbors and calls from concerned residents helped police build several leads. Schodack detectives and State Police investigators canvased the town in search of potential witnesses.

The forensic evidence that fire investigators collected Monday was sent to the State Police laboratory. After looking at preliminary investigation reports, Belardo said he believes the blaze "was intentionally set."

"We're treating this as a suspicious fire," the chief said earlier. He said many residents have called to say they "are pretty outraged" by the hate crime. "This is obviously the top priority for the agency right now."

Homeowner Laquan Madison said he woke up at 11:40 p.m. Sunday to find his detached garage engulfed in flames and painted with a racial epithets and swastikas.

The home, located at 29 Cold Spring Ave. in a quiet section of town, was damaged by the blaze and the garage burned to the ground.

"The house is not a total loss," Belardo said. "It will be able to be repaired."

Madison, his wife and their five children all escaped unharmed. The Red Cross helped the family of seven find temporary living arrangements Monday, Belardo said.

"It's not going to force me to move," a composed Madison, 31, told reporters late Monday afternoon.

"People are going to be who they are. My hope is they understand life is not a joke," he said. "You can't toy with people."

Anyone with information can call the Schodack police at 518-477-8077.