SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane police announced the arrest of a suspect in connection to the fire at St. Charles Catholic Church in North Spokane Friday.
Spokane Police Spokesperson Julie Humphreys said in a press release that Rio Antonio Mirabal, 22, was arrested in Spokane Valley Friday afternoon. Mirabal is charged with first degree arson. Humphreys said additional charges are pending. He is currently in the Spokane County Jail.
Mirabal was identified following a tip from a community member who saw surveillance video that was released by police on Thursday, Humphreys said. Mirabal was also linked to the burglary/arson through forensic evidence, she wrote in the press release.
Mirabal has two prior misdemeanor convictions not related to arson, according to Humphreys.
The fire on Thursday, March 18 heavily damaged the administrative offices of the church on North Alberta Street and its attached school. It also forced the closure of the school and postponed Mass at the church. St. Charles students began remote learning on Monday, March 23, a spokesperson for the Catholic Diocese of Spokane said.
Spokane Bishop Thomas Daly said the fire caused a couple million dollars in damage, adding that renovations had just been completed at some of the offices.
After the fire at St. Charles was lit, the suspect walked around neighborhoods in the area tearing up and burning a Bible, Spokane police said. Pieces of the Bible were left on numerous vehicles, including some in the areas of 2300 W. Rockwell Avenue and 2600 W. Lacrosse Avenue.
PHOTOS: St. Charles arson, burglary suspect
No one was injured in the fire. A priest sleeping in his living quarters was awaken by an officer for SPD who first noticed the fire when he pulled into the parking lot of St. Charles and banged on windows and doors to wake anyone who might be in the building.