College Student, 19, Arrested for Alleged Arson of Mississippi's Largest Synagogue By Angel Saunders

A Mississippi man has been arrested for allegedly setting fire to a Jewish synagogue once bombed by the Ku Klux Klan, authorities said.

Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, of Madison, was taken into custody Saturday evening, Jan. 10 in connection with charges related to the alleged arson of Beth Israel Congregation and the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life building in Jackson, the United States Department of Justice said in a press release on Monday, Jan. 12.

Pittman is accused of using gasoline to set fire to the religious site, resulting in extensive damage to a significant portion of the building which rendered it inoperable indefinitely. 

An individual was seen on CCTV footage inside of the synagogue wearing a hooded top and pouring liquid from what appeared to be a gasoline container. 

Beth Israel Congregation was founded in 1860. Its present location has been the same since 1967. On Sept. 18 of that year, it was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan. 

Citing an FBI affidavit, ABC 7 NY reported that the suspect “allegedly laughed about the attack, telling his father ‘he finally got them’ and referring to the place of worship as the ‘synagogue of Satan.’”

He also allegedly told investigators he set the fire at the religious site because it had “Jewish ties,” the outlet and CNN reported.

Pittman received burns to parts of his body during the act, officials said.

He transported himself to the University of Mississippi Medical Center where was treated for non-life-threatening burn injuries, and then taken into custody, the office of Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a release.

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The Jackson Fire Department responded to the scene, with fire investigators later determining the blaze was intentional, Reeves shared in a release.

Reeves, who condemned the “heinous act,” added that the Beth Israel Congregation is one of Mississippi’s oldest Jewish institutions. However, due to fire, smoke, and water damage, the building is currently not usable for services.

“This disgusting act of anti-Semitic violence has no place in our country, and unlike the prior administration, this Department of Justice will not let anti-Semitism fester and flourish,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said, per the United States Department of Justice press release.

“I have directed my prosecutors to seek severe penalties for this heinous act and remain deeply committed to protecting Jewish Americans from hatred,” she continued. 

FBI Director Kash Patel also issued a statement about the “targeted’ attack.” “Every American has a fundamental right to live and worship free from violence and fear,” Patel said in the United States Department of Justice release. “The FBI will never waver in our mission to protect Jewish communities from targeted anti-Semitic attacks and will work to hold accountable anyone who engages in these types of violent acts.”

U.S. Attorney J.E. Baxter Kruger of the Southern District of Mississippi called the “hateful, anti-Semitic attack” at Beth Israel Congregation both “disturbing and unacceptable,” in a statement included in the United States Department of Justice release.

“Mississippians may rest assured that my office will not stand idly by when violence and intimidation threaten our community. We will seek the most serious charges warranted by the evidence and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law,” Kruger continued.

The 19-year-old, who had completed three semesters of college before the incident, appeared in court on Monday and was appointed a public defender, CNN reported.

If convicted, Pittman could face a minimum of five years and a maximum of 20 years in prison.

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PEOPLE reached out to the Beth Israel Congregation for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

In a post to Facebook on Sunday, Jan. 11, the synagogue shared a link for those who wish to contribute to rebuilding efforts. “We thank you deeply for your love and support,” the post read.