Tuesday morning, authorities detained a suspect in connection with seven fires lit across the capital city of Mississippi.
At least two of the structures that caught fire in Jackson were churches; one was completely destroyed. The gates around the baseball practice field at Jackson State University, a historically Black public university, caught fire again. There were no injuries recorded.
“I’ve lived here for thirty years. This is a significant event “Assistant fire chief of the Jackson Fire Department Patrick Armon said WAPT-TV. “This is not something we would typically do. A third of our department is currently on-site.”
Tuesday, Devin McLaurin was taken into custody in relation to a string of fires in Jackson, Mississippi. Hinds County Sheriff’s Department
The Hinds County Sheriff’s Office stated Tuesday afternoon that they had arrested Devin McLaurin in connection with the arsons, following a search that lasted several hours. They provided no details regarding McLaurin’s motivation. According to a Jackson Police Department official, he has been charged with felony intentional mischief. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is currently interrogating him, and he may face additional charges.
Uncertain if McLaurin has a lawyer who could comment on his behalf.
At approximately 2:45 a.m., officials began to receive reports of many fires. Officials reported that six of the seven flames were contained by 6:00 a.m. Before the fire was quenched, the Epiphany Lutheran Church, one of the oldest predominantly Black Lutheran churches in Mississippi, burned for more than four hours.
Lloyd Caston, a 73-year-old Epiphany senior, was awakened at 4 a.m. by a call from a family member who resides in the church’s neighborhood. At 4:30 a.m., after being notified of the fire, he left his residence and arrived at the church to find it “completely ablaze.”
Caston stated, “I was hurt” when he recalled witnessing the church on fire.
When Caston arrived, the fire service was on the site attempting to extinguish the blaze. He remained for around an hour before leaving before the fire was extinguished. Caston stated, “There was nothing we could do but watch.” “That’s all.”
Caston stated, “It demolished the church and everything within it.” The church is 85 years old, and the inside renovations were recently finished in March.
Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba addressed the fires during the municipal council meeting on Tuesday.
“We do not yet know who or why,” Lumumba said, “but I want to thank the firefighters because they were able to respond and yet return to the stations so that people could set up voting precincts.”
On the morning of the election, Tuesday, no polling locations were reported to have been affected by the fires.
Current News