A woman trying to set Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthplace on fire arrived with a gas can and doused the historic property with fuel Thursday.
Video from the brazen attempt shows a woman dressed all in black freely pouring gasoline on the front porch, windows and bushes around 5:45 p.m., WSB-TV reported.
Two tourists from Utah who saw the house were able to intervene to stop the suspect, police said.
A witness recalled the suspect becoming irritated after he had trouble spreading fuel around the property, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
The suspected arsonist was quickly apprehended by two off-duty NYPD officers who had visited the historic landmark and held him until Atlanta police arrived.
The off-duty officer jumped on the suspect after he pulled out a lighter and tried to light it.
The suspect poured gasoline on the front window of the historic house. WSBTV The suspect’s name has not yet been released by the police. WSBTV
The suspect, 26, has been charged with attempted criminal arson and attempted criminal interference with government property.
Police have not released his name.
“That act saved an important part of American history tonight,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told WSB-TV.
Atlanta Fire Department Battalion Chief Jerry DeBerry revealed the house could have gone up in flames had it not been for witnesses who intervened to stop it.
“It was probably just seconds before the house was on fire,” DeBerry told WSB-TV.
An off-duty NYPD officer jumped on the suspect after he pulled out a lighter and tried to light it. WSBTV
The Atlanta Police Department said it is working with the District Attorney’s Office, the US Attorney’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the FBI to investigate the attempted arson.
The house is in the care of the National Park Service, which acquired the property from the King family in 2018, and has been closed to tours since November due to ongoing renovations.
“Tonight, an unfortunate incident occurred at the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as individuals attempted to set fire to this historic property,” King Center write in a statement Tuesday night.
“Fortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful, thanks to the courageous intervention of a good Samaritan and the quick response of law enforcement.”
The suspect has been charged with attempted criminal arson and attempted criminal interference with government property. WSBTV The historic home is under renovation until the end of 2025. Getty Images
The King Center thanked the quick response from Atlanta police and fire before adding, “Our prayers are with the individuals accused of this criminal act.”
The historic home was built in 1895 and has become a cherished landmark in the community and the nation for recalling the life of the civil rights icon.
King was born in the house on January 15, 1929, and lived there for his first 12 years, according to the National Park Service.
The home is located about three miles east of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
