Thread: Black Man Arrested For Setting Fire To Six Black Churches In St. Louis

Black Man Arrested For Setting Fires To Six Black Churches In St. Louis

CHUCK ROSS Reporter
2:09 PM 10/30/2015

An African-American man in his 30s has been arrested for setting a string of fires at black churches in St. Louis, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch is reporting.

The unidentified suspect is accused of setting seven fires at churches between Oct. 8 and Oct. 22. The first six fires occurred at black churches in predominantly black neighborhoods. The last fire was set at Shrine of St. Joseph, a white church in a predominantly black neighborhood.

The arsons causes minimal damage, but federal investigators were brought in.

Speculation swirled that the fires were racially-motivated, especially given the proximity to Ferguson, Mo., the St. Louis suburb that was the site of massive protests last year over the police-involved shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old black man.

A white priest at St. Louis’ Christ Church Cathedral asserted that the arsonist had racist motives.

“Holy God, if we ever needed a wake-up call to believe that racism is alive in St. Louis — if this is not it, I don’t know what it could be,” Mike Kinman said, according to CNN.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks white supremacist groups, suggested in an article last week that the arsons were carried out by white supremacists.

The group quoted a journalist who covers African-American issues who said that the fires were “both alarming and not surprising.”

“This is alarming because domestic terrorism is alive and well,” David A. Love told the SPLC. “It is such a problem that the U.S. Department of Justice recently predicted increases in violent acts by white extremists who are responding to a new reality in which people of color will become a majority in America.”

The SPLC also quoted Love blaming “a vicious cycle created by rightwing politicians, the NRA and hate groups who stir up anger, fear and resentment over changing demographics and want their country back.”

“Arson and other crimes are a natural outgrowth of that. These groups need a scapegoat, whether African Americans, Latino immigrants, the LGBTQ community or others,” he continued.

For its part, the SPLC did tweet a link to the Post-Dispatch’s article noting that an African-American man is the suspect in the case.

http://dailycaller.com/2015/10/30/bl...s-in-st-louis/

David Lopez Jackson Charged with Arson in String of St. Louis Area Church Fires

BY POLLY MOSENDZ 10/30/15 AT 4:47 PM

From left, Deacon Clinton McMiller and Pastor David Triggs carry a cabinet back into the church after an outdoor service on Oct. 18, at the New Life Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis, Missouri. J.B. FORBES/ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH/AP

A Missouri man has been charged was arson in connection with a string of church fires in the St. Louis area earlier this month, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said on Friday afternoon.

David Lopez Jackson, 35, faces two counts of second-degree arson for fires at the Ebenezer Lutheran Church and the New Life Missionary Baptist Church. He was held in lieu of $75,000 bail, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

The fires were two of seven blazes that went off in the St. Louis area betweenOctober 8 and 22.

"These are active ongoing investigations. It is possible more charges may follow," St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Sam Dotson said at a press conference on Friday afternoon.

Dotson added that a motive is unclear, while the ATF stated on Friday that it believes that the arson attacks were not racially motivated. The majority of the churches targeted were home to predominantly black worshippers.

Authorities linked Jackson to the fires with forensic evidence and a video, thePost-Dispatch reported. The paper found Jackson has a criminal history and went through a mental health evaluation.

Mayor Francis G. Slay on Friday described the fires as "absolutely despicable" and thanked the numerous law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation for their efforts.

"We pray for the person who has done this. It seems to be mentally off balance behavior," Rev. Robert Gettinger of the St. Augustine Catholic Church told the Post-Dispatch.

http://www.newsweek.com/david-lopez-...h-fires-388985

STL Mugshots | David Lopez Jackson www.stlmugshots.com320 × 400Search by image David Lopez Jackson

10/30/15

Suspect arrested for arson following string of St. Louis church fires