By Baptist Message staff
DERIDDER, La. (LBM) – A day after an arsonist tried to set fire to First Baptist Church, DeRidder, detectives have located the individual they believe committed the crime.
According to a June 1 news release from the DeRidder Police Department, detectives used surveillance footage and other camera images to identify a vehicle and a suspect only to learn he had been booked in another parish jail on unrelated charges not long after the incident at the church.
Detectives believe they have enough evidence for an arrest and are confident the individual acted alone. They expect to release a full report once the arrest is made, the news release said.
“The church is grateful that the suspect is in custody,” FBC DeRidder Administrative Pastor Steve Thomas told the Baptist Message. “It is an answer to prayer that this took place without any other incidents happening.
“The church has also prayerfully committed itself to move forward without fear of any future copycat attacks,” he added. “We have all agreed to not only be thankful for answered prayer of God’s protection, but also to pray for the suspect in custody to come to experience a personal relationship with Christ. It is our prayer that God will use this moment in the history of the church, to challenge each individual member to stand fast when faced with threats of what and/or in who or what we believe.”
