Several good Samaritans, including two tourists from Utah and two off-duty NYPD officers, stopped a 26-year-old woman named Laneisha Shantrice Henderson, who was reportedly pouring gasoline on the home at 501 Auburn Ave. A video shows the New York officers holding her down on the ground until Atlanta police could arrive.
“Their quick action saved the jewel of our city, something very important to Atlanta,” Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said.
Henderson was arrested and charged with a criminal attempt to commit arson in the second degree and interference with government property. She is from Atlanta, Georgia, and resides in Tallahassee, Florida. Her motive is unknown. Police said they took her to Grady Detention Center for evaluation and will be transferred to jail later.
Bystander Zach Kempf recorded the woman pouring liquid from a red can on the house’s front porch. Then he saw her pick up a lighter, he said.
“I stood at the stairs and said, ‘You can’t do this,’ and blocked her for about a minute,” Kempf said.
She then walked down the street, he said, after which the New York officers held her down.
Batallion Chief Jerry DeBerry with Atlanta’s fire department said the witnesses were at the right place at the right time.
“If the witnesses hadn’t been here and interrupted what she was doing, I mean, it could’ve been a matter of seconds before the house was engulfed in flames,” he said.
Firefighters and a hazmat crew scrubbed the house down after the incident.
The King Center released the following statement:
“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. Fortunately, the attempt was unsuccessful, thanks to the brave intervention of good Samaritans and the quick response of law enforcement.
We thank the Atlanta Police Department, Atlanta Fire Department, the National Parks Service, and Mayor Andre Dickens for leading the efforts to ensure the safety of our cherished national landmark and its adjacent neighbors. Our prayers are with the individual who allegedly committed this criminal act.”
The 128-year-old home was designated a historical sight after President Donald Trump signed a bill establishing it as a Historic Site in 2018. The house has been closed to the public since late November and is scheduled to undergo significant renovations.
Those renovations include structural and system improvements, including electrical, HVAC, and fire suppression, as well as structural enhancements and additional crawlspaces, window and door repairs, exterior siding and porch renovations, exterior painting, driveway repaving, foundation repointing, replacement of the backyard fence, and drainage improvements.
The current renovations will take place until the end of 2025. The home will be closed until the project is finished.
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