Federal law enforcement agencies have announced that they are working with local and state authorities to investigate a suspicious fire at the Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Havana, Florida. The United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Florida, along with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations released a joint statement regarding their involvement.
The statement said: “We are actively coordinating with local and state partners regarding a suspicious fire at the Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Havana, Florida, and stand ready to offer additional federal resources needed for this state-led investigation. This alleged arson is just the latest in an alarming trend of attacks and threats directed toward our churches, synagogues, and houses of worship nationwide.”
It continued: “As made clear by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, we have zero-tolerance for attacks and threats directed at our churches, synagogues, and houses of worship, and the Department of Justice will ensure those vital institutions, and the congregants who gather to freely practice their religion, are kept safe and secure.”
The investigation remains ongoing as officials determine the cause of the fire and whether it is part of a broader pattern affecting religious sites across the country.
