A man who was charged with setting fire to a predominantly Black church in Massachusetts back in 2020 has been indicted by a grand jury, WGME reports.
According to court documents, Dushko Vulchev was motivated by racism. The fire caused extensive damage to Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Presbyterian Church in Springfield. Court documents also show Vulchev is responsible for several other fires set on the church's property and for a series of tires slashings.
"According to court documents, in the early morning hours of Dec. 28, 2020, law enforcement observed a fire at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Presbyterian Church (MLK Church) which caused significant damage to the building," the Department of Justice said in a statement. "During a subsequent investigation, it was determined that the fire was related to other incidents, including arsons and malicious damage to vehicles, that occurred on church property and the surrounding area. These included a fire at the backdoor of the MLK Church on Dec. 13, 2020, and two additional fires near the backdoor of the church on Dec. 15, 2020. Further investigation, including the review of video surveillance, identified Vulchev as the alleged perpetrator."
People familiar with Vulchev told law enforcement officials that he frequently referred to Black people using a racial epithet. Additionally, a search of Vulchev’s car and mobile devices revealed messages showing his hatred of Black people, including one where he says, “eliminate all N****s.” Police also seized a photo of Adolf Hitler in a track suit, according to the DOJ.
He now faces five federal charges.