Chief: No sign of hate crime in Macon church fire

Macon-Bibb's fire chief says he still believes that a church fire last week was not a hate crime.

And an FBI spokesman says although they've opened a file on the God's Power Church of Christ, there's been no ruling that the fire was motivated by bias.

The Tuesday-morning fire caused heavy damage to the building on Cedar Avenue, off Mercer University Drive. Fire officials said last week that they believe the fire was set, but so far have not explained why. They did say the church was recently burglarized and its sound system was stolen.

Since then, several national media outlets have cited the Macon fire as one of several recent possible hate crimes in the South.

By email, J. Britt Johnson, special agent in charge of the FBI's Atlanta office, said the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms investigates church fires as possible hate crimes, and the FBI monitors the case to determine whether they need to investigate as well.

However, neither agency has reached a conclusion on the case, Johnson wrote.

On Monday, Macon-Bibb Fire Chief Marvin Riggins said again that investigators believe the fire was arson, but that there's no sign of a hate crime.

Here is the FBI's statement on the case:

In response to inquiries involving the recent fire at God's Power Church of Christ in Macon, Georgia:

"The ATF is currently investigating the matter as a possible arson although no ruling has yet been made. With regard to speculation that this fire could be looked at as a hate crime, again no such ruling has yet been made. It should be noted, rather, that it is FBI practice, as we have done for many years in the past when there is a fire at a religious institution that could have the potential for a hate crime, to open a preliminary inquiry which allows us to coordinate closely with our federal partners at the ATF during their investigation. Opening a preliminary inquiry doesn't suggest that a hate crime has occurred, but rather ensures that it is getting additional scrutiny for hate crime potential."

J. Britt Johnson,

Special Agent in Charge,

FBI Atlanta Field Office