Woman 'pours gasoline on Martin Luther King Jr.’s home in alleged arson attempt'
A woman has been arrested after allegedly trying to set fire to Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth home by pouring petrol on it.
Police rushed to the historic house in Atlanta following reports of vandalism. Chief Schierbaum said two tourists from Utah claimed they saw the woman pouring a liquid onto plants outside the home, the porch, and the front door, adding they could also smell petrol. They intervened when they saw her allegedly try to light a lighter.
Two off-duty NYPD officers visiting the area detained the woman until local police arrived. Footage shared with FOX 5 appears to show a woman being detained. The woman's name hasn't been released, but she is said to be 26 years old. Chief Jerry DeBerry of the Atlanta Fire Department said investigators are speaking with her family about her mental health.
A woman has been arrested for allegedly pouring gasoline on Martin Luther King Jr.s home (No credit)Martin Luther King Jr.'s birth home, built in 1895, is a significant site commemorating the early life of the civil rights icon. It's currently being renovated for major structural improvements. The fire department's HAZMAT team are cleaning up the petrol spill, according to Fox 5.
Chief Jerry DeBerry says with the fuel down, it could have been just a matter of seconds before the structure caught fire. The woman will being charged with criminal attempt to commit arson and criminal attempt to damage government property. APD is also working with the FBI and National Park Service. Federal charges could be possible.
Inside abandoned funeral home with creepy wigs and toe rags left behind
The birth home of Martin Luther King Jr is a framed two-story Queen-Anne style structure and has played a significant role in commemorating the early life of the civil rights icon (Getty Images)She is being charged with criminal attempt to commit arson and criminal attempt to damage government property. APD is also working with the FBI and National Park Service. Federal charges could be possible.
At the age of thirty-five, Martin Luther King, Jr., was the youngest man to have received the Nobel Peace Prize. When notified of his selection, he announced that he would turn over the prize money of $54,123 to the furtherance of the civil rights movement.
On the evening of April 4, 1968, while standing on the balcony of his motel room in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was to lead a protest march in sympathy with striking garbage workers of that city, he was assassinated.
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