The suspect charged with setting a fire inside a historic Jackson, Mississippi, synagogue over the weekend admitted it was because of the building’s “Jewish ties,” according to an FBI criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Mississippi on Monday. 

Security footage showed the suspect, Stephen Spencer Pittman, inside Beth Israel Congregation around 3 a.m. on Saturday, pouring what appeared to be gasoline, according to the complaint. Pittman was charged with maliciously damaging or destroying a building by means of fire or an explosive. 

Authorities said Pittman’s father reached out to the FBI, saying his son confessed to starting the fire, which was later corroborated by map data from a location-sharing app Pittman had on his phone. Pittman also texted his father a photo of the back of the synagogue, writing, “There’s a furnace in the back,” the complaint alleges, noting that his father “pleaded for his son to return home.”

Hours later, Pittman’s father confronted his son after noticing burns on his ankles. Pittman “laughed as he told his father what he did and said he finally got them,” the complaint said. 

That evening, investigators at the Jackson Fire Department and Hinds County Sheriff’s Office interviewed Pittman, who admitted to starting the fire and called the building “the synagogue of Satan,” according to the complaint. He told investigators he stopped to purchase gasoline, removed his license plate and broke into the building through a window with an axe, using a torch lighter to start the fire after pouring gasoline.

On Sunday, Jackson Mayor John Horhn condemned “acts of antisemitism, racism, and religious hatred,” which he said will be treated as acts of terror against residents.

“Targeting people because of their faith, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation is morally wrong, un-American, and completely incompatible with the values of this city,” he said in a statement posted to social media. 

Beth Israel, established over 160 years ago, is Jackson’s only synagogue and was the first synagogue in the state. 

In 1967, Beth Israel was bombed by Ku Klux Klan members. Two months later, they bombed the home of the congregation’s rabbi as well, according to the Beth Israel website. The rabbi wasn’t home at the time and no one was hurt in the bombings. 

There are still congregants at the synagogue who were members during those bombings, according to a representative for Beth Israel.

Parts of the building are damaged by water, smoke and soot. The sanctuary, where worship services are held, needs restoration but is still standing. Five Torahs — the sacred scrolls with the text of the first five books of the Hebrew Bible — located inside the sanctuary were assessed for damage. Two Torahs inside the library were destroyed. One Torah rescued during the Holocaust and kept behind glass was undamaged. 

The attack on Beth Israel comes amid a nationwide spike in antisemitism. There’s been an 893% increase over the past decade in antisemitic incidents, according to the Anti-Defamation League. A 2024 audit by ADL recorded more than  9,000 incidents – it’s the highest number recorded since the organization began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1980.

“We are still assessing the damage to the building, but will be continuing our worship services and other programs – locations to be determined,” Zach Shemper, president of Beth Israel Congregation, said in a statement to CBS News, adding that several churches have offered their spaces for worship.

“We are a resilient people. With support from our community, we will rebuild,” Shemper said.

Patrick Torphy contributed to this report

Penn State went from having no punters on its 2026 roster to having a pair in a matter of days. Incoming Navy All-American specialist Lucas Tenbrock arrived in Happy Valley to move in for the spring semester, and the Nittany Lions have also added a punter through the transfer portal. 

Former Mississippi State punter Nathan Tiyce visited Penn State on Friday, and BWI has learned that he will be joining the Nittany Lions for the spring. He’s enrolled at University Park and set to begin classes this week. 

The 6-foot-5, 230-pounder from Gerringong, Australia, was a 25-year-old freshman for the Bulldogs last season. A product of ProKick Australia, Tyice spent two years at Tocal College and five years working on a farm before coming to the United States last year. He played rugby for his local club, the Gerringong Lions, before suffering an injury. He then joined ProKick for a trial after discovering American Football and committed to Mississippi State just before Christmas in 2024. 

Tiyce was part of a battle for the starting job in Starkville in 2025, eventually losing the full-time gig to Ethan Pulliam. Pullium went on to average 46.76 yards per punt and earn a second-team All-American nod from The Sporting News. Tiyce was used in situational roles, mostly as a pooch punter. He punted 12 times for a 39-yard average with a long of 54. Of those 12, two went over 50 yards and seven ended up inside the 20-yard line. He had one touchback and five punts resulted in fair catches. 

Penn State set for reset at punter in 2026

With Gabe Nwosu and Riley Thompson both exhausting their eligibility after the 2025 season, Penn State will need to add two punters ahead of next fall. Tenbrock flipped to the Nittany Lions from Iowa State after Matt Campbell made the switch. He’s the No. 5 punter nationally according to the Rivals Industry rankings.

Despite his age, Tiyce is in a similar situation to Thompson’s at Penn State. He is still sophomore-eligible with three years left to play. He and Tenbrock will compete through the spring and into the preseason. 

A suspect has been taken into custody after a historic synagogue in Mississippi was badly damaged in a fire that authorities described on Sunday as an arson case.

According to officials, the blaze broke out shortly after 3am Saturday at Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson. No one was hurt in the fire.

Images from the scene revealed blackened debris in an administrative office and the synagogue’s library, where multiple Torah scrolls were either destroyed or damaged. Members and leadership of the synagogue have pledged to restore the building.

Jackson’s mayor, John Horhn, said a suspect was taken into custody after an investigation involving the FBI and the joint terrorism taskforce.

“Acts of antisemitism, racism, and religious hatred are attacks on Jackson as a whole and will be treated as acts of terror against residents’ safety and freedom to worship,” Horhn said in a statement. He did not identify the suspect or say what charges might be filed.

Beth Israel Congregation is the largest synagogue in Mississippi and the only one located in Jackson. It was previously targeted in a 1967 Ku Klux Klan bombing linked to the congregation’s involvement in civil rights efforts, according to the website.

“We are thankful no one was injured, but this wasn’t random vandalism – it was a deliberate, targeted attack on the Jewish community,” Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League, said in a statement.

Michele Schipper, CEO of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life and a former president of the congregation, told the Associated Press that the synagogue is still evaluating the extent of the damage and has received messages of support from other faith communities.

Schipper said one Torah that survived the Holocaust was protected behind glass and was not harmed by the fire. Five Torahs kept in the sanctuary are being checked for smoke damage, while two Torahs in the library, the area that suffered the most destruction, were destroyed.

Soot coated the sanctuary’s floors, walls and ceiling, and the synagogue will need to replace carpeting and upholstered furnishings.

“We are devastated but ready to rebuild, and we are so appreciative of the outreach from the community,” said Schipper.

Jewish Federations of North America issued a statement describing the incident as an arson attack and saying the organization was “horrified and angered at the arson attack against Mississippi’s Jewish community”.

“The Jewish community is resilient and will not be intimidated. We will continue to work with law enforcement and our elected officials to ensure we can live our lives safely and Jewishly,” the organization added.