A woman attempted to burn down Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth home, arriving with a gas canister and dousing the historic property in fuel Thursday.
Video from the brazen attempt shows a woman dressed in all black freely pouring gasoline on the home’s front porch, windows, and bushes around 5:45 p.m., WSB-TV reported.
Two tourists from Utah viewing the home were able to intervene to stop the suspect, police said.
One witness recalled the suspect began to grow irritated after she was having trouble spreading the fuel around the property, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.
The suspected arsonist was then quickly detained by two off-duty NYPD officers who had been visiting the historical landmark and held her until Atlanta Police arrived.
The off-duty officers jumped on the suspect after she pulled out a lighter and attempted to light it.
The suspect, 26, has been charged with criminal attempt arson and criminal attempt interference with government property.
Police have not released her name.
“That action saved an important part of American history tonight,” Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told WSB-TV.
Atlanta Fire Department Battalion Chief Jerry DeBerry revealed the house could have burned down in moments if not for the witnesses stepping in to stop her.
“It could have been a matter of seconds before the house was engulfed in flames,” DeBerry told WSB-TV.
The Atlanta Police Department said it’s working with the District Attorney’s Office, the US Attorney’s Office, officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and the FBI on investigating the attempted arson.
The home is in the care of the National Park Service, which acquired the property from the King family in 2018 and has been closed to tours since November due to ongoing renovations.
“Tonight, an unfortunate incident occurred at the birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as an individual attempted to set fire to this historic property,” the King Center wrote in a statement Tuesday night.
“Fortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful, thanks to the brave intervention of good Samaritans and the quick response of law enforcement.”
The King Center thanked the quick response from Atlanta Police and Fire before adding, “Our prayers are with the individual who allegedly committed this criminal act.”
The historic home was built in 1895 and has been a cherished landmark in the community and nation for remembering the life of the civil rights icon.
King was born at the home on Jan. 15, 1929, and lived there for his first twelve years of life, according to the National Park Service.
The home is about three miles east of Mercedes Benz Stadium in Downtown Atlanta.
