Mayor, Governor respond to Beth Israel arson

JACKSON, Miss. (VDN) — In the early morning hours of Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, Jackson Fire Department personnel responded to a structure fire at the Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Miss. Fire investigators later determined the blaze was intentionally set.

Jackson Mayor John Horhn released a statement later that Saturday. In the statement, Horhn said, “Acts of antisemitism, racism, and religious hatred are attacks on Jackson as a whole and will be treated as acts of terror against residents’ safety and freedom to worship. Targeting people because of their faith, race ethnicity, or sexual orientation is morally wrong, unAmerican, and completely incompatible with values of this city.”

According to reports, the fire caused significant damage to administrative and library areas of the building, including damage to religious materials. A suspect, 19-year-old Stephen Spencer Pittman, was later self-admitted into the University of Mississippi Medical Center with non-life-threatening burn injuries and taken into custody. Pittman has been charged with arson. Additional charges may be forthcoming pending the ultimate outcome of the investigation.
 
The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and ATF, with assistance from the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security, Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, Jackson Fire Department Arson Unit, and Jackson Police Department. At the appropriate time, state charges will also be pursued in addition to any federal charges. 
 
Beth Israel Congregation, founded in 1860, is one of Mississippi’s oldest Jewish institutions. Due to fire, smoke, and water damage, the building is currently not usable for services.
 
This is an active and ongoing investigation. Additional details will be released as they become available. State charges related to this incident remain pending the outcome of the investigation.
 
Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact local law enforcement.
 
“Mississippi stands with the members of Beth Israel Congregation,” said Governor Tate Reeves. “This heinous act will never be tolerated, and the perpetrator should face the full and solemn weight of their actions. I have directed the Mississippi Department of Public Safety to support our federal law enforcement partners in any manner necessary as they investigate this horrible situation and pursue state charges.”
 
“This type of violence will not be tolerated in Mississippi,” said Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell. “The Department of Public Safety is fully engaged and working with our local and federal partners to ensure those responsible are held accountable. We will pursue charges at both the state and federal levels to see that justice is served.”