Additional Coverage:
- Mississippi synagogue arson suspect’s dad turns him in after laughing confession, FBI says (foxnews.com)
Jackson, MS – A 19-year-old man is facing federal charges after allegedly admitting to setting fire to Beth Israel Congregation, a historic synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi. The FBI stated that Stephen Pittman confessed to targeting the Jewish house of worship, referring to it as “the synagogue of Satan,” and reportedly laughed while recounting the incident to his father.
According to an FBI affidavit, Pittman’s father contacted authorities after noticing burns on his son and hearing him confess to the arson. Pittman reportedly told his father he “finally got them” in a laughing confession.
Pittman made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court via video from a hospital, where his hands were bandaged.
He has been charged with maliciously damaging or destroying a building by fire or explosive. If convicted, he faces a sentence of five to 20 years in prison.
When advised of his rights by the judge, Pittman responded, “Jesus Christ is Lord.” He informed the court he is a high school graduate with three semesters of college.
A preliminary and detention hearing is scheduled for January 20.
The fire, which broke out shortly after 3 a.m. on Saturday, caused extensive damage to the synagogue’s library and administrative offices. Fortunately, no congregants or firefighters were injured.
Surveillance footage shows a masked, hooded individual pouring liquid from a gas can inside the building’s lobby before igniting it. Investigators believe Pittman purchased gasoline beforehand and removed his vehicle’s license plate.
He allegedly used an ax to break a window, poured fuel inside, and used a torch lighter to start the blaze.
The affidavit also reveals that Pittman texted his father a photo of the synagogue before the fire, writing, “There’s a furnace in the back.” When urged to come home, he allegedly replied that he was “due for a homerun” and had “done my research.” A burned cellphone believed to belong to Pittman and a hand torch were later recovered by investigators.
While five Torah scrolls in the sanctuary are being assessed for smoke damage, two Torahs in the library were destroyed. Notably, a Torah that survived the Holocaust was protected behind glass and remained undamaged.
Beth Israel Congregation, the largest synagogue in Mississippi and 165 years old, was previously bombed by the Ku Klux Klan in the 1960s.
In a statement, the Beth Israel Congregation affirmed, “This news puts a face and name to this tragedy, but does not change our resolve to proudly – even defiantly – continue Jewish life in Jackson in the face of hatred.”
Attorney General Pam Bondi, through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, announced that prosecutors have been directed to seek “severe penalties,” stating, “This disgusting act of anti-Semitic violence has no place in our country.”