IED Explosion Reported at Los Angeles Church That Was Recently Criticized for ‘Anti-LGBT’ Language by Southern Poverty Law Center
The El Monte Police Department and FBI officials are investigating an explosion and vandalism at a Los Angeles church that was recently criticized for “anti-LGBT language.”
The First Works Baptist Church is part of a network of churches that have been criticized by the far-left extremists at the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Police Chief David Reynoso said the incident took place overnight on Saturday and that they believe the explosion was from an “improvised explosive device.”
Obscenities and the words “get out” were also found spray-painted on the front of the church.
Bruce Mejia, the pastor of First Works, said that they had reported an arson threat they received on social media two weeks ago to police. A protest was also planned for the morning after the explosion, but was cancelled due to the bombing.
“The church has been the subject of criticism in the community, and a petition calling on El Monte’s mayor to recognize the church as a hate group and ‘take them out of our city,’ has received more than 15,000 signatures,” the Hill reports.
Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman for the FBI’s Los Angeles field office, said that they do not currently have a suspect in custody or a motive for the attack, according to a report from the New York Times.
“We have not ruled anything out,” Eimiller said.
The Los Angeles branch of the FBI put out a public call for information about the attack on social media.
“The FBI responded overnight with @elmontepolice & @LASDHQ to an #IED attack at the First Works Baptist Church in El Monte, CA. Bomb Techs & the FBI’s Evidence Team continue to process the scene. If you have a tip about the responsible party,” the FBI posted on Twitter along with a phone number for a tip line.
Domestic terrorist Floyd Lee Corkins, who stormed the Family Research Council’s (FRC) headquarters and shot an employee who later disarmed him, admitted that he chose his target from the SPLC’s hate map list.
