Driver, 24, is arrested after ‘plowing minivan into a Florida church before pouring gasoline in the foyer and setting it on fire’ as parishioners prepared for mass
- Steven Anthony Shield, 24, was arrested after cops say he plowed his minivan into a church in Ocala, Florida, and set it on fire while parishioners were inside
- Congregants were preparing for services Saturday at Our Queen of Peace Catholic Church when cops say Shield’s minivan drove into the house of worship
- Shields was alleged to have poured gasoline once inside the church’s foyer, which he lit on fire before fleeing
- The church’s occupants escaped unharmed and the flames were extinguished by Marion County Fire Rescue after being called to the scene
- A deputy from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office later arrested Shield after a pursuit and stopping his vehicle using his patrol car
A Florida man was arrested Saturday after he allegedly drove his minivan into a Catholic church and then set it on fire while congregants were inside preparing for mass, authorities said.
Steven Anthony Shield, 24, was arrested after cops say he plowed his minivan into Our Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Ocala, on State Road 200 and set the sanctuary on fire before fleeing in his vehicle.
Occupants inside the church escaped unharmed and the flames were extinguished by Marion County Fire rescue. Sheilds was apprehended by a Marion County Sheriff’s deputy after a motor vehicle chase.
Steven Anthony Shield, 24, was arrested after cops say he plowed his minivan into Our Queen of Peace Catholic church in Ocala, Florida, Saturday and set the sanctuary on fire before fleeing in his vehicle
Occupants inside the church escaped unharmed and the flames were extinguished by Marion County Fire rescue. Smoke is pictured still lingering inside the sanctuary after the fire was out
Hoses are pictured leading into the church’s sanctuary after Marion County Fire rescue extinguished the flames of the intentionally set blaze
According to court documents, Shields told detectives he is mentally ill but had stopped taking his medication, the Ocala Star-Banner reported.
Shields said to cops that what he did was ‘awesome,’ and he smiled and laughed, the affidavit said. He told detectives he was ‘on a mission,’ called himself ‘king’ and that he has problems with the Catholic Church and referenced passages in the Bible’s Book of Revelations.
He is being held by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office on numerous charges, including one count each of attempted second degree murder, first-degree felony evidencing prejudice and arson to a structure (where persons are normally present).
Cops said they had reasonable grounds to believe Shields knew the church was occupied when he allegedly drove into the foyer.
Once inside, Shields allegedly poured gasoline on to the sanctuary and lit it on fire, before leaving in his minivan, according to a police account posted on Facebook.
Deputy Josue Gonzalez, the sheriff’s office said, ‘spotted the vehicle leaving the area and gave chase.’
‘The defendant fled until Deputy Gonzalez was able to conduct a P.I.T. maneuver (Precision Immobilization Technique) and disable the fleeing vehicle in the 5900 block of South Highway 441, where the defendant was taken into custody,’ the sheriff’s office said.
A minivan is pictured that cops say Shields used to flee is pictured after it was disabled by a deputy who used a disabling technique to stop the vehicle
Services were being held Sunday in another part of the church.
Sheriff Billy Wood released a statement after the attempted arson, proclaiming that ‘Our freedom of worship granted in the Constitution is a freedom that we all hold dear.’
‘My deputies and I are sworn to protect that right and will always ensure our citizens can worship in peace,’ the sheriff explained.
‘I’m proud of my deputies for capturing this man so quickly and we appreciate the assistance from all of the state and federal agencies that worked alongside of us during this investigation.’
Sheriff Billy Wood released a statement after the attempted arson at the church (pictured), proclaiming that ‘Our freedom of worship granted in the Constitution is a freedom that we all hold dear.’