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ST. LOUIS (AP) — Authorities in St. Louis are investigating arson at a predominantly black church that was also vandalized with racist graffiti.
Firefighters were called to the Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church just before 2 a.m. Tuesday after a building alarm sounded, and found the church on fire. Police say a back door had been forced open at the church and there was an estimated $200,000 in damage.
Pastor Titus Irving, whose church has about 200 members, said: "I know the Lord will see us through this, but it tears your heart apart."
A string of arsons last October at churches in predominantly African-American parts of the St. Louis area prompted a hate crime investigation.
Authorities eventually charged David Lopez Jackson with two counts of second-degree arson. But authorities said after the arrest of Jackson, who is black, that there was no indication of a hate crime. Jackson remains jailed while awaiting trial.
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289-a-10-(Shirley Little, associate pastor of Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, in interview)-"turn into good"-Shirley Little, associate pastor of Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, says the congregation's faith will endure. COURTESY: KTVI ((Mandatory on-air credit: Mandatory embargo St. Louis)) (6 Jul 2016)
<<CUT *289 (07/06/16)££ 00:10 "turn into good"
290-a-10-(Shirley Little, associate pastor of Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, in interview)-"lot of people (third reference)"-Shirley Little, associate pastor of Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, says she has a message for the arsonist. COURTESY: KTVI ((Mandatory on-air credit: Mandatory embargo St. Louis)) (6 Jul 2016)
<<CUT *290 (07/06/16)££ 00:10 "lot of people (third reference)"
288-a-09-(The Reverend Titus Irving, pastor of Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, in interview)-"in our city"-The Reverend Titus Irving, pastor of Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, says other local churches also have been vandalized. COURTESY: KTVI ((Mandatory on-air credit: Mandatory embargo St. Louis)) (6 Jul 2016)
<<CUT *288 (07/06/16)££ 00:09 "in our city"
287-a-07-(The Reverend Titus Irving, pastor of Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, in interview)-"across our country"-The Reverend Titus Irving, pastor of Greater St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, says the attack on his church is heartbreaking. COURTESY: KTVI ((Mandatory on-air credit: Mandatory embargo St. Louis)) (6 Jul 2016)
<<CUT *287 (07/06/16)££ 00:07 "across our country"
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