A 35-year-old man was charged on Friday in connection with a string of suspected arson fires at St. Louis-area churches, police said. St. Louis County Police Chief Bob Dotson said Friday that he hoped additional charges were coming. Most have primarily black congregations, although local media reported that the Shrine of St. Joseph church has a mostly white congregation.
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While the recent wave of arson attacks on churches has caused much concern, Pew noted that the crime is actually declining. But Pastor David Triggs of New Life hesitated to point to color.
“First of all, that this person is off the street, and we can work toward getting him the help that he needs”, Triggs said.
David Lopez Jackson, 35, was charged Friday for torching two of seven predominantly black parishes this month while remaining a suspect in the other cases – including at a relative’s home, authorities said.
Police said each arson started the same way, with the church’s front doors sprayed with accelerant and then set ablaze. Police tell FOX 2 that the suspect is a black male in his 30’s.
The blazes also prompted a hate-crime investigation based on either racial or religious motives. “It seems to be mentally off balance behavior”, Gettinger said.
Jackson, who has flames tattooed across his collarbone, poured gasoline on the doors of New Life Missionary Baptist Church and Ebenezer Lutheran Church before lighting them aflame, according to the charges. Two days later, police said, nearby New Northside Missionary Baptist Church had been set on fire.
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“It’s just absolutely despicable that somebody would go after churches”, he said. “I got folks from Arkansas, my mother’s from Alabama; for a few of the people, they’re waiting to see what is the motivation [behind the fires]”. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives said, “We believe that this fire-setting activity is meant to send a message”.
