Springfield Police say a man has been arrested and COULD have a connection to a December 28th fire that destroyed the Martin Luther King Presbyterian Church. Police say the suspect was picked up on unrelated charges. No names have been revealed and officials say they are developing information that could lead to additional charges.
Meantime, Rev. Dr. Terrlyn L. Curry Avery, Pastor for the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Presbyterian Church has released as statement:
"The leaders of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Presbyterian Church (MLK Church) and I have been informed that an individual has been arrested in connection with the burning of the church. We understand that the investigation is ongoing. We want to thank the local and federal law enforcement officials for their diligence in this investigation. I want to thank Mayor Sarno who is keeping me informed about the investigation and is in daily contact with me. I also thank him for his promise to continue to assist the church with its rebuilding. Although we have suffered a tremendous loss and certainly believe that whoever committed this atrocity should be held accountable for their actions, we also recognize that the person is clearly a wounded soul. As such, we offer forgiveness, along with our prayers for his spiritual, emotional, and psychological healing.
The investigation is continuing. No other details have been released.