Arson attack on Martin Luther King Jr’s childhood home in Atlanta is prevented at the last second as off-duty cops arrest woman dousing historic building with gasoline

Law enforcement in Atlanta is crediting good Samaritans, including two off-duty NYPD officers, who foiled a woman’s attempt to burn down the childhood home of civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.

Tourists recorded video of the 26-year-old suspect aggressively pouring gasoline from a large red canister on bushes and the front windows of the house where King lived until he was 12 years old.

In the video, the witness asks twice, “What are you doing?” The woman motions for him to leave her alone. “It’s gasoline,” he tells her. Those witnesses later said they intervened when they saw her trying to light a lighter on the lawn.

In the next shot, a woman is pinned to the ground by a knee on her back while another person appears to be trying to talk to her. The two men were off-duty New York City police officers who prevented her from leaving the scene, authorities said.

Authorities have not named the suspect and his motive has not been revealed. She is said to be a veteran. New York Times. King’s home is federal property, so he could face federal charges. Officials are working with her family to determine her mental health status.

Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told the media that in addition to the NYPD officers, two tourists from Utah also intervened and helped “save an important piece of American history tonight.”

Shortly after the arrest, the woman’s father and sisters arrived at the scene. They said they tried to track her because they were worried about her and found her through a tracking app on her phone.

The house is located in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn Historic District, is under renovation and is closed to the public until 2025.

This is where Martin Luther King lived the first 12 years of his life, and is now a National Historical Park that is believed to have played a huge role in shaping King’s life.

In an interview with New York Times, Utah resident Zach Kempf said he believed the suspect was simply watering the bushes until she started yanking on the front door and appeared to try to break into the house.

“It seemed strange, so we asked her what she was doing, but she didn’t answer.”

He described her behavior as “nervous” but not aggressive as she left the scene when Kempf prevented her from lighting her lighter.

“And I shouted to two guys on the street that she was trying to set the house on fire, and I chased her,” he said.

“Obviously the house is so important and I’m really glad nothing happened to it. But I think my main concern right now is for her well-being.”

Witnesses said they initially thought the suspect was watering the bushes until she tried to break into the house.

Two off-duty NYPD officers prevented the 26-year-old suspect from leaving the scene while they waited for Atlanta police to arrive.

Atlanta Fire Battalion Chief Jerry DeBerry echoed the police chief’s words, saying that if there were no more witnesses, the house could have been lost forever.

“It was just seconds before the house was engulfed in flames,” DeBerry said.

“Tonight, an accident occurred at the birthplace of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when someone attempted to set fire to this historic building. Fortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful due to the courageous intervention of Good Samaritans and the quick response of law enforcement,” the King Center said in a statement.

“We thank the Atlanta Police Department, Atlanta Fire Department, National Park Service and Mayor Andre Dickens for leading efforts to ensure the safety of our treasured national landmark and its surrounding neighbors. We are praying for the person who allegedly committed this criminal act,” the press release said.

Congress declared the house a National Historic Landmark in 1980, and the National Park Service began offering tours of the house in 1982.

The house was built in 1895 for a white family and purchased by King’s maternal grandfather in 1909 for $3,500. King’s mother inherited it. King’s younger brother, A.D. King and his family were the last of the King family to live here.