Woman charged with attempted arson of Martin Luther King Jr. birthplace in Atlanta

ATLANTA– Atlanta police have arrested a woman accused of destroying the birthplace of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. set on fire in Atlanta.

Officers arrested the 26-year-old woman around 5:45 p.m. Thursday after she responded to a report of vandalism at the two-story home in the historic Auburn Avenue Historic District, according to a police statement.

Police say a preliminary investigation shows the woman poured gasoline on the property before people at the scene stopped her. Her name was not immediately released. She is charged with second-degree attempted arson and interference with government property. The historic site is now a museum operated by the National Park Service.

“Tonight an unfortunate incident occurred at Dr.'s birthplace. Martin Luther King, Jr., when an individual attempted to set this historic building on fire,” The King Center said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter. “Fortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful, thanks to the courageous intervention of good Samaritans and the swift response of law enforcement.”

The statement from the nonprofit organization, which is committed to preserving the legacy of King and his wife Coretta Scott King, also read: “Our prayers are with the individual who allegedly committed this criminal act.”