Atlanta Church Destroyed by Arson
Woman sent threatening messages before setting church on fire
A woman from the Atlanta area is facing a list of felony charges after allegedly burning down a church in Austell, Georgia, on Monday night.
Eagle’s Chapel International Ministries Pastor Raphael Grant / Video screengrab via Fox 5 Atlanta
Aries Maliah Jordan is accused of setting fire to Eagle’s Chapel International Ministries, a church located about 17 miles west of downtown Atlanta. Charges include first-degree arson, first-degree burglary, second-degree criminal damage, terroristic threats to burn or damage property, possession of tools for the commission of a crime, and vandalism to a place of worship.
The church’s lead pastor, Raphael Grant, told CBS News Atlanta about the moment he found out about the fire. “I received a call from one of my leaders asking me, ‘What happened? Is everyone okay?’ She told me the church is on fire, it’s on the news. I was lying in bed. I just jumped out of bed and drove to the church premises and lo and behold, the church was on fire.”
The fire comes just days after the church had reopened following a major renovation project the building underwent after being flooded. The administration area of the building had opened last Thursday and the newly renovated area was used for church service on Sunday. That whole area was consumed by fire the following night.
Aries Maliah Jordan
Grant told Fox 5 Atlanta, “We just finished rebuilding everything. Chairs… Everything. “You have to be possessed by a demon to do something like that. You can’t be a logical rational human being. You have to be possessed by an evil force to do that.”
Church leadership told Atlanta News First they had previously received threatening text messages from Jordan. Jacky Tamo, the wife of one of the assistant pastors, said some of those messages threatened to shoot people at the church or that the church was going to be set on fire.
“Last night, she’s sending us text messages saying your building is gone, and we thought it was a joke,” Tamo said.
The church has started a GoFundMe to help with rebuilding efforts after the fire.
The church will meet Sunday in the church parking lot for Sunday service at 10 a.m.
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