Police in Mississippi arrested a 23-year-old old suspect thought to be associated with seven fires across Jackson, with two of them being at churches, in what one Democrat Congressional candidate called an attempt to suppress votes.
Among the two churches set on fire, one of them was destroyed in the fire. All the fires took place around Jackson early Tuesday morning.
Shuwaski Young, a former candidate for Mississippi’s 3rd Congressional District, said that the fire was an attempt to suppress votes in the area and said it invokes acts of terrorism.
“This morning several churches were burned in Jackson, Mississippi on Election Day. These cowardly actions invoke historical acts of terrorism when people are fighting for their right to vote and live peacefully as Americans and Missisippians,” Young said. “We will not be deterred and will not be intimidated. We will not allow domestic terrorists to suppress our right to vote. I ask all Mississippians to GO VOTE regardless of this decades old intimidation tactic to suppress our votes today. Just Go VOTE.”
Beginning on Tuesday at around 2:45 a.m., officials received calls regarding six fires around the city. By 6 a.m., six of the seven fires were put out by firefighters.
The Hinds County Sheriff’s Office says Delvin McLaurin was arrested Tuesday in Terry, Mississippi following a tip from the public.
(Hinds County Sheriff’s Office)
Epiphany Lutheran Church, a predominantly Black church in Jackson, was among the churches burnt and was on fire for over four hours.
At Jackson State University, a historically Black school, a fire began in the area surrounding the baseball practice field.
The Hinds County Sheriff’s Office said that Devin McLaurin was arrested in relation to the arson incidents, but didn’t add what his motivation was.
Melted siding, burned insulation, charred wooden beams and ashes of old hymnals and bulletins are all that remain at Epiphany Lutheran Church near midtown Jackson, Mississippi, on Nov. 8.
(AP/Rogelio V. Solis)
McLaurin is being charged with felony malicious mischief, and is also being questioned by the Federal Bureau of Investigations.
Patrick Armon, assistant fire chief with the Jackson Fire Department said that this is unusual for the area.
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“I’ve been here for 30 years. This is a major occurrence,” Armon said. “This is not something we normally go to. We have about a third of our department on sites.”
Lloyd Caston, 73, who is an elder at Epiphany Lutheran Church, said that she woke up to a call at around 4 a.m. stating that the church was on fire.
The ashes of old hymnals and missals are seen in the remains of the Epiphany Lutheran Church near midtown Jackson, Mississippi, on Nov. 8.
(AP/Rogelio V. Solis)
When Caston arrived to the church, he saw that it was “fully enflamed.” He said that he “was hurt” when he saw the church on fire.
“It destroyed the church and everything in it,” Caston said.
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Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba said that no polling locations were impacted by the fires.
“We don’t yet know who or why, but I want to thank the firefighters because they were able to respond to that and still get back to the stations, so that people could set up for voting precincts,” Lumumba said.
Fox News has reached out to Young.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
