Authorities have identified Stephen Spencer Pittman as the suspect accused of setting fire to a historic synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi.
Pittman, a 19-year-old resident of Madison, Mississippi, was charged on Monday with maliciously damaging or destroying a building using fire or an explosive device.
The blaze broke out shortly after 3am on Saturday at Beth Israel Congregation, the only and largest synagogue in Mississippi’s capital. No injuries were reported among congregants or firefighters, but the fire caused significant damage to the building’s library and administrative offices. Several religious scrolls were also destroyed or damaged.
According to an FBI affidavit filed in a US District Court in Mississippi, Pittman admitted to starting the fire because of the synagogue’s “Jewish ties.” During questioning, he reportedly referred to the building as the “synagogue of Satan,” law enforcement officials said.
Security camera footage released by the synagogue shows a masked, hooded individual pouring liquid from a gas can onto the floor and a couch in the lobby shortly before the fire began. Investigators said Pittman admitted he purchased gasoline from a gas station on his way to the synagogue and removed his vehicle’s licence plate to avoid identification.
Authorities were alerted after the suspect’s father contacted them upon receiving a concerning message from his son. The FBI later recovered a burned mobile phone believed to belong to Pittman, along with a hand torch found at the scene.
Founded in 1860, Beth Israel Congregation holds deep historical significance, particularly in the civil rights era. The synagogue was previously targeted in a 1967 bombing by the Ku Klux Klan. Community leaders have condemned the latest attack, and the synagogue’s president has pledged to rebuild with support from local churches and residents.
Jackson Mayor John Horhn described the arson as an attack on public safety and religious freedom. Pittman, who sustained non-life-threatening burns, is receiving medical treatment and is expected to face further legal proceedings once cleared.
