{"id":91172,"date":"2026-01-12T19:13:13","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T00:13:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=91172"},"modified":"2026-01-12T19:13:13","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T00:13:13","slug":"man-charged-with-setting-fire-to-mississippi-synagogue-targeted-it-due-to-its-jewish-ties-fbi-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/man-charged-with-setting-fire-to-mississippi-synagogue-targeted-it-due-to-its-jewish-ties-fbi-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Man charged with setting fire to Mississippi synagogue targeted it due to its \u2018Jewish ties,\u2019 FBI says"},"content":{"rendered":"

By GRACE GILSON<\/p>\n

(JTA) \u2014 The suspect arrested for allegedly setting fire to a Mississippi synagogue on Saturday confessed to the FBI that he had targeted the congregation due to its \u201cJewish ties.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Surveillance footage shows a suspect pouring gasoline in the Beth israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, on Jan. 10, 2025. (FBI)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Stephen Spencer Pittman was charged on Monday with maliciously damaging or destroying a building by means of fire or an explosive, according to an affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Mississippi.<\/p>\n

The blaze, which tore through the Beth Israel Congregation, the only synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi, early Saturday morning, destroyed two of the synagogue\u2019s Torahs as well as its library and offices. Several other Torahs belonging to the congregation were damaged, though no injuries were reported.<\/p>\n

During an interview with the FBI and local law enforcement on Saturday, Pittman confessed that he had set fire to the synagogue, which he referred to as a \u201csynagogue of Satan,\u201d according to the affidavit.<\/p>\n

According to social media accounts that appeared to belong to Pittman, he is originally from Madison, Mississippi, and is a baseball player at Coahoma Community College. (A student athlete profile for Pittman has since been deleted from the school\u2019s athletics page.)<\/p>\n

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Extensive damage to the Beth Israel Congregation synagogue after an arson attack in Jackson, Mississippi, Jan. 10, 2026. (Beth Israel Congregation)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

An X account that appeared to belong to Pittman featured a link to a website that promotes \u201cScripture-backed fitness\u201d as well as a Bible quote that read, \u201cIn all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pittman told the FBI that he had stopped at a gas station on his way to the synagogue to purchase the gas used in the fire, removed his license plates, broken a window in the building with an ax to gain entry and used a torch lighter to start the fire. The FBI discovered a cell phone and hand torch believed to belong to Pittman at the scene.<\/p>\n

Zach Shemper, the president of Beth Israel Congregation, told CNN on Monday that he had been told by law enforcement that \u201cthe perpetrator had been posting antisemitic comments on social media.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Text messages between the arson suspect Stephen Spencer Pittman and his father during the attack on Jan. 10, 2025. (FBI)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

On Saturday, Pittman\u2019s father reported his son\u2019s alleged arson to police after his son texted him photos of the building along with messages including, \u201cThere\u2019s a furnace in the back,\u201d \u201cBtw my plate is off,\u201d \u201cHoodie is on,\u201d and \u201cAnd they have the best cameras.\u201d<\/p>\n

After Pittman\u2019s father pleaded with him to return home, Pittman replied that he was due for \u201ca home run\u201d and \u201cI did my research.\u201d The following morning, Pittman allegedly laughed as he told his father about the arson attack and said \u201che finally got them,\u201d according to the affidavit.<\/p>\n

Surveillance footage obtained by the FBI from within the synagogue showed the suspect appearing to pour the contents of a gas container on its floor before setting the building ablaze, according to the affidavit.<\/p>\n

Prior to the affidavit\u2019s publication, several Jewish leaders and politicians were quick to label the arson attack as antisemitic.<\/p>\n

\u201cA historic synagogue was burned. Sacred Torahs destroyed. We are thankful no one was injured, but this wasn\u2019t random vandalism \u2014 it was a deliberate, targeted attack on the Jewish community,\u201d wrote Jonathan Greenblatt, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, in a post on X Sunday. \u201cAn attack on any synagogue is an attack on all Jews. We will not be intimidated. We will not be silent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Deborah Lipstadt, the U.S. special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism under President Joe Biden, wrote in a post on X that the incident was a \u201cmajor tragedy,\u201d adding, \u201cBut it\u2019s more than that. It\u2019s an arson attack and another step in the globalization of the intifada.\u201d<\/p>\n

Other politicians and Jewish leaders who labeled the attack as antisemitic included New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, former NYC mayor Eric Adams,  New York Jewish Sen. Chuck Schumer, Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott and Israeli Ambassador to the United Nation Danny Danon.<\/p>\n

Pittman was scheduled to make an initial court appearance Monday afternoon. If convicted, he faces five to 20 years in federal prison.<\/p>\n

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