(Daily360.com) – A bizarre video coming from Atlanta, Georgia shows a woman attempting to burn down the childhood home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. last week. The video shows the woman, Laneisha Shantrice Henderson , 26, who is black and wearing all black clothes, pouring and spreading gasoline all over the home’s front porch, windows and nearby bushes.
She was thwarted by two off-duty New York City Police Department officers who were visiting the site. Witnesses say that had the officers not intervened and tackled the woman she was likely seconds away from igniting a fire that would surely had burned the house down. Darin Schierbaum, Atlanta Police Chief, confirmed that and said “an important part of American history” was saved by the quick-thinking NYPD cops. The Atlanta Fire Chief, Jerry DeBerry, concurred and said the house would have likely “burned to the ground” very quickly had the gasoline been ignited.
Henderson has been arrested and charged with attempted arson in the second degree and interfering with government property. Her father told local news that his daughter has a history of mental illness. Henderson could face additional federal changes because the home is considered a historic park that sits on federal property. Henderson has been denied bond due to her “unstable” residence situation, meaning she will remain in jail for the time being.
The home was build in the year 1885, it’s a modest two-story Queen-Anne style home located centrally among a number of MLK commemorative sites. Just blocks away you’ll find the King National Historical Park, the King Center and the famous Ebenezer Baptist Church. The childhood home is currently closed to visitors while it’s being renovated. Among the renovations are foundation repair, structural enhancements and fire suppression improvements. The renovations will be comprehensive and the site is not expected to re-open until late 2025 at the earliest.
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