A woman was arrested in Miami after throwing bricks at a church, causing around $10,000 in damages. The incident occurred during an altercation between two women. The suspect, Marie Falconer, has been charged with criminal mischief at a place of worship. The church plans to continue with their Winter Wonderland Festival, despite the setback. Donations to help restore the festival can be made via Cashapp. News Channel 3-12 reported
By Patrick Chalvire, Jessica Holly, and Joe Roetz
A woman has been apprehended by the police after allegedly causing significant damage to a church in Miami. The incident occurred on Sunday evening at the Martin Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Center on Lincoln Blvd. Upon arriving at the scene, Miami Police officers noticed a woman matching the description provided by witnesses and took her into custody for further investigation.
According to one witness, the woman was seen picking up bricks and throwing them at various windows of the church, resulting in an estimated $10,000 worth of damages. Additionally, two women were observed engaging in a physical altercation outside the church.
Reverend Dr. Anthony Reed expressed his disappointment, stating, “Two young ladies who were having an altercation decided to take out all of their anger on the church.” The vandalism left behind a chaotic scene, as seen in cellphone footage, and the damage to the church’s stained glass windows was particularly devastating. Windows were knocked loose and pushed out of their frames.
Shortly after the incident, the police were contacted, and one of the women involved was arrested nearby. The suspect has been identified as 19-year-old Marie Falconer and has been charged with criminal mischief at a place of worship. Falconer appeared in court on Monday, where she was instructed to stay away from the Martin Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Center.
Despite the setback, the church community remains resilient. Reverend Reed assured that their annual Winter Wonderland Festival, a significant event of the season, will proceed as planned. However, the church will have to start from scratch when it comes to decorating for the festival.
Reverend Reed stated, “We’re just going to stay hopeful. We’re not going to let this one bad situation ruin our spirit to bring joy to families in the community.” The church is accepting contributions via Cashapp under the handle $purplechurch, and donors can write “winter joy” in the memo line to assist in restoring the Winter Wonderland.
It is disheartening to witness such vandalism against a place of worship. Reverend Reed emphasized the devastating impact of these actions and expressed his hope that people will respect sacred spaces in the future. The church community is determined to move forward and continue their mission of spreading joy and unity..