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Suspected Tennessee Church Arsonist Charged with Civil Rights Violation

  • Kayla Koslosky

    Kayla Koslosky has been the Editor of ChristianHeadlines.com since 2018. She has B.A. degrees in English and History and previously wrote for and was the managing editor of the Yellow Jacket …

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  • Updated Aug 26, 2021

A suspected arsonist from Nashville, Tennessee, has been charged with a civil rights violation after he allegedly set fire to four churches across the Nashville area in the summer of 2019.

According to the Department of Justice, 28-year-old Alan Douglas Fox has been charged with setting fire to Crievewood Baptist Church, Crievewood United Methodist Church, Priest Lake Community Baptist Church and Saint Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church between June 17 and June 26, 2019.

Crievewood United Methodist Church was the first church to be set ablaze by Fox on June 17. He then attacked Crievewood Baptist Church and Saint Ignatius of Antioch Catholic Church on June 25 and Priest Lake Community Baptist Church on June 26.

Fox was also reportedly armed during the attack on Crievewood Baptist Church and is being charged with carrying and using a firearm during the arson.

According to the Department of Justice, criminal information says that Fox purposely set the fires "because of the religious character of the churches." The Department of Justice did not elaborate on what exactly that entails.

If convicted, Fox could spend up to 20 years per fire in prison. He is also facing a five-year sentence for the firearm violation, which he would serve consecutively, Fox 17 News reports.

This case was investigated by the FBI, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department and the Nashville Fire Department, the Department of Justice said in a press release announcing the charges against Fox. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Beth Myers and Trial Attorney Kyle Boynton of the Civil Rights Division.

Related:

'A Huge Blessing': Canadian Congregation Raises over $700,000 to Rebuild Church following Arson Attack

'We Forgive You': Church Leader Offers Forgiveness to Arsonists Who Burned Down Church

Man Charged in San Gabriel Mission Blaze That Destroyed Rooftop of Historic Church

23-Year-Old Church Arsonist Is Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison

Photo courtesy: Adam Wilson/Unsplash


Kayla Koslosky has been the Editor of ChristianHeadlines.com since 2018. She has B.A. degrees in English and History and previously wrote for and was the managing editor of the Yellow Jacket newspaper. She has also contributed to IBelieve.com and Crosswalk.com.