PICTURED: Woman who tried to burn down Martin Luther King’s childhood home by pouring gasoline over front porch before she was stopped by passerby
- Laneisha Henderson, 26, has been identified as the woman who attempted to set the historic home on fire.
- The decorated Navy veteran has been charged with attempted arson and trespassing on government property.
- She was arrested on December 4 after she was detained by passing tourists who saw her trying to douse the house with gasoline.
The woman veteran who tried to burn down Martin Luther King’s childhood home by pouring gasoline on the porch has been identified.
Laneisha Henderson, 26, was photographed for the first time since tourists visiting the landmark stopped her from setting the historic building on fire.
A decorated Navy veteran from Brandon, Florida, was charged with attempted arson and tampering with government property in connection with the incident following her arrest Thursday.
She was also seen trying to rip a screen door off the front of the house, which was built in 1895 and was MLK Jr.’s home until he was 12 years old.
She was prevented from setting fire to a house in Atlanta by passers-by who saw her pour gasoline on the windows of the house.
Laneisha Henderson has been identified as the woman caught on camera dousing Martin Luther King’s childhood home with gasoline.
A 27-year-old man has been charged with attempted arson and trespassing on government property.
Henderson is a decorated Navy veteran who has received Good Conduct Medals, among other awards.
Henderson’s Facebook page states that she is from Atlanta and lives in Tallahassee, Florida.
The Eufala High School graduate enlisted in the Navy for four years and received medals for good conduct, reports Atlanta Magazine Constitution.
Passing tourists intervened when they saw Henderson trying to light a lighter on the lawn, and two New York City police officers eventually restrained her.
Eyewitness Zach Kempf, 43, visiting the federal landmark from Salt Lake City, was among those who intervened.
Kempf said the woman had a “nervous energy,” adding, “But she wasn’t aggressive.”
He added: “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.”
The woman then reportedly relented in her attempts to burn down the house and began to leave.
Off-duty officers restrained her, and another part of the video posted online showed the woman with her knee on her back.
The Atlanta landmark was built in 1895 and was MLK Jr.’s childhood home until he was 12 years old.
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said Good Samaritans 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.
According to the New York Times, they said she had a mental disorder.
The house is located in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn Historic District, is under renovation and is closed to the public until 2025.
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.