KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City, Missouri, man is accused of setting fire to a church building earlier this week.
Christopher Durant, 38, was charged in federal court with arson, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Missouri.
Around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, firefighters responded to a building in the 5900 block of East U.S. 40, which housed the Beyond Thee Four Walls Ministries.
According to an affidavit, Durant was captured on surveillance video at the building only a few hours before firefighters arrived. He is seen throwing chunks of asphalt at the front windows and then lighting several objects and placing them through the broken windows, as well as a mail slot in the front door.
He then left the church and returned about 30 minutes later, according to the affidavit. Video shows Durant appear to light a piece of paper and place it in the front window. He then leans in through the broken window, and a large flash can be seen “consistent with the introduction and subsequent ignition of an ignitable liquid,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
An investigation found that the fire had originated in the area under the broken window, where Durant had appeared to light the fire.
He was arrested on Thursday by agents with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, who are in Kansas City as part of Operation LeGend.
Minister Michael Higgins told 41 Action News earlier this week that the fire not only caused severe water and smoke damage, but also destroyed bags of clothes that would have gone to women and children in need or the homeless.
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