Atlanta suspects vandalize historic church with threatening graffiti; FBI offers $10K reward

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FBI offering $10,000 reward for information on suspects who vandalized historic church

Several suspects vandalized the Ebenezer Baptist Church Heritage Sanctuary earlier this year, according to the FBI's Atlanta field office. (Credit: FBI Atlanta)

The FBI is searching for 10 suspects accused of vandalizing Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church Heritage Sanctuary, where Martin Luther King Jr. once preached and Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., currently serves as senior pastor. 

The vandalism occurred on the evening of July 3, 2022, a little over one week after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and returned abortion policy to individual states. 

The FBI's Atlanta Field Office tweeted Thursday it is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the suspects' arrests and convictions.

A group of 10 suspects allegedly vandalized Atlanta's historic Ebenezer Baptist Church Heritage Sanctuary with a message that read, "If abortions aren't safe, neither are you." (FBI Atlanta)

A group of 10 individuals dressed in all black approached the church that evening. Spray paint that was discovered after they left read, "If abortions aren't safe, neither are you." 

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The suspects reemerged on surveillance footage without the dark clothing and eventually split up.

The 10 individuals approached the church together on the evening of July 3, 2022, while dressed in all black. (FBI Atlanta)

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King was a co-pastor at the church from 1960 until he was assassinated in 1968. Warnock, who won re-election to the U.S. Senate earlier this month, has been the senior pastor there since 2005. 

Warnock's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday.