Andrew McClinton, 45, has been charged with one count of first-degree arson of a place of worship. Authorities said he is a member of the black church in Mississippi that was burned and vandalized with "vote Trump" graffiti prior to the presidential election. Photo courtesy Mississippi Bureau of Investigations
GREENVILLE, Miss., Dec. 22 (UPI) -- A member of the congregation at a black Mississippi church that was burned and vandalized with pro-Trump graffiti prior to the election was charged with arson, law enforcement officials said.
Andrew McClinton, 45, was charged with one count of first-degree arson of a place of worship, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations. Authorities have not said what allegedly motivated McClinton to set fire to the church and they have not concluded whether he was responsible for spray-painting "vote Trump" on the side of the 111-year-old Hopewell Baptist Church.
Authorities did not say what evidence they have linking McClinton to the fire, or if he confessed.
The Clarion-Ledger of Jackson, Miss., reported McClinton was arrested Wednesday and is being held pending arraignment in Greenville Municipal Court.
At the time of the incident, officials in Greenville, Miss., a predominantly black city, called the fire a "hate crime" and both state and federal officials participated in the investigation, with the FBI opening a civil rights inquiry. The fire drew national headlines in the heat of the presidential election, recalling the history of violence and racial animus in the South during the civil rights era.
Greenville Mayor Errick Simmons told The Clarion-Ledger the arson was a "direct assault" on the congregation's right to worship. He pledged the city would continue forward in unity in the wake of the fire, which rendered the building a total loss.
"There is no place for this heinous and divisive behavior in our city," Simmons said. "We will not rest until the culprit is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We take pride in our work to have a unified city and we look forward in continuing that work. We are excited to move forward in the healing process."
