A man wearing nothing but a pair of blue shorts scaled a church in LA and set its cross ablaze, local media footage shows, with the scantily clad arsonist then beating a hasty retreat across rooftops and powerlines.
Dramatic videos captured by local news agencies circulated on social media late on Wednesday night, showing the unidentified man as he climbed atop the Boyle Heights church and attempted to ignite a cross on its roof.
HOLY SMOKE! Half naked guy tries to set church on fire in Boyle Heights. @KTLA @heli_CvP pic.twitter.com/V6STpzNE0b
— Ryder Christ (@RyderChristNews) July 8, 2021
The individual then attempted to flee as officers arrived at the scene, leaping across at least three rooftops, and later grabbing onto a powerline and shimmying over the street below in an exceptionally dangerous get-away.
Update: man now hopping from rooftop to rooftop after jumping from a church at 4th and Chicago in #BoyleHeights. pic.twitter.com/n0tEFSgrQM
— Jeff Vaughn (@JeffVaughn) July 8, 2021
The suspect’s motives remain unclear, and it is unknown whether he suffers any form of mental illness or psychosis.
Update: man is now using utility lines to attempt an escape in #BoyleHeights. @RoadSageLA overhead in Sky 9. pic.twitter.com/RE3UZTUdiQ
— Jeff Vaughn (@JeffVaughn) July 8, 2021
While the LAPD had been following him in a helicopter with a bright spotlight, the department reportedly switched to infrared monitors to avoid agitating the man further. He reportedly remains at large.
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