Arson suspect sought after another suspicious church fire in B.C.'s Fraser Valley
Police are searching for an arson suspect after responding to another church fire in B.C.'s Fraser Valley on Wednesday evening.
Authorities said the suspicious blaze started at the Central Heights Church in Abbotsford at around 8 p.m., but that firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames.
Jesse Wilson, the discipleship and communications pastor with the church, told CTV News his biggest concern was not the structure, but the people who live in one of the building’s wings.
“My first reaction was sort of a heightened sense of vigilance like, 'Whoa!'” Wilson said.
Investigators obtained surveillance video from the church of a suspect they described as a dark-skinned man with an average build who is 30 to 40 years old and 5'8" to 5'10" tall.
Police said he was wearing a grey baseball hat, a bright yellow rain jacket, a white muscle shirt, black and white shoes, and "blue/green shorts with a pattern."
He was also carrying a dark brown or black backpack.
Investigators declined to release the video or images from it to CTV News.
“When people try to hurt people, they usually have been hurt themselves,” Wilson said.
“There’s a need for healing and reconciliation…and we want to lean in and pray,” he added.
A growing number of Canadian churches have been targeted with arson and vandalism in recent weeks, which some have speculated may be connected to the horrific discovery of unmarked graves at former residential school sites – though most of the culprits remain at large.
The Catholic Church administrated an estimated 70 per cent of the schools, while others were run by Anglican, United and Presbyterian churches.
“It’s difficult to say whether or not this particular case at our church is connect to anything larger,” Wilson said
Abbotsford police wrote that “no motive has been identified.”
The Catholic Church administrated an estimated 70 per cent of the schools, while others were run by Anglican, United and Presbyterian churches.
Earlier on Thursday, Vancouver police confirmed they have responded to 13 incidents of mischief and vandalism at church properties since early June.
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