Thursday, August 29, 2013

Nebraska: Fremont Police Arrest Third Arson Suspect

Fremont Police on Wednesday arrested a third person in connection with a string of Aug. 6 arsons.

Detective Aaron Howe said James C. Smith, 22, of Fremont was arrested for second-degree arson and conspiracy to commit second-degree arson. Both charges are Class III felonies.
Police previously arrested Tyler Maple, 21, and Michael J. Schutz, 22, both of Fremont, in connection with the arsons.

“I would say the investigation is complete,” Howe said. “Everybody responsible for those fires is now in jail.”

Police received reports on Aug. 6 of what Chief Jeff Elliott said turned out to be four separate arson cases.

The Fremont Fire Department was called at 5:11 a.m. to the 600 block of North I Street where the Salvation Army bus was on fire near a house. The bus received interior damage, but the house and a nearby garage were not damaged.

Moments later, firefighters answered a second alarm in the 300 block of West 10th Street where a 1997 Dodge Neon was totaled by a fire.

At 6 a.m., firefighters responded to a small shed on fire by First Christian Church.

Read more at Freemont Tribune...

Congregation praising despite church fire; investigated as arson

JASPER COUNTY, SC – Members of the Gospel Lighthouse Church are singing praise after the Jasper County community rallies around them.

Pastor Jackie Chavers, who is known as Pastor Jackie says, “I’ve cried all morning.”

The church’s building burnt to the ground early Tuesday morning in a fire that’s being investigated as arson. But within hours a banquet tent had been offered as a temporary sanctuary. Then two different congregations offered folding chairs.

Pastor Jackie says, “The love of Christ that has come out in the community. The people that have responded with a helping hand…”

Read more at thecoastalsource.com...

Michigan teen pleads guilty to vandalism, arson involving Lutheran, Baptist churches

A Bay City teen has confessed to vandalizing two churches in a single night.

Mackenzie A. Coyer, 19, on Wednesday, Aug. 28, appeared before Bay County Circuit Judge Harry P. Gill and pleaded guilty to two counts of breaking and entering with intent and one count of arson of real property. The charges are related to break ins at First Baptist Church, 1145 W. Center, in Hampton Township, and Pilgrim Lutheran Church, 1705 Nebobish, in Essexville.

Read more at mlive.com...

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Reward offered for information on Bozeman Montana church vandalism

BOZEMAN - A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for for information that leads to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person or people who vandalized three churches in Bozeman.

The FBI is investigating the matters as a hate crime due to the "sheer volume" of profane anti-religious graffiti and acts of arson discovered inside the churches.

READ MORE AT KRTV.COM...

Priest at Our Lady of Lourdes in Magna, Utah, Describes Vandalism at His Parish

By Father Christopher Gray
Special to the Intermountain Catholic
(Editor's note: Here is Fr. Gray's account of what happened Aug. 25, when he arrived in Magna to celebrate Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Parish and found the church and rectory vandalized.)
When I arrived, around 8:25 a.m., I saw the police outside the church and Gaylynn Huffman sobbing on the sidewalk. I peeked inside the church and saw the hallway with the smashed statues (a particularly poignant image), the broken glass of the door, the disorder everywhere. Knowing I could not enter while the police were investigating the scene, I looked at the tabernacle and saw that the door was still closed  – in fact, the sanctuary seemed to be untouched. The missal was still on the altar, the candles and crucifix were all in the right position, and the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes was the only one left intact in the church.

Read more at the Intermountain Catholic....

Friday, August 23, 2013

Police looking for vandal who damaged angel statue outside Catholic church

Cops want to know who vandalized this statue outside a church in Brooklyn.
The five-foot angel was knocked over on the steps of Our Lady of Consolation Catholic Church in Williamsburg.