Historic Haughville church sprayed with satanic graffiti

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) –“Satan Lives” and “Die, Die, Die” were sprayed across the walls at the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on the city’s westside.

The vandals tagged the brick wall of the church, its glass doors and windows, the concrete floor, and the church bus. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said the vandalism happened Tuesday afternoon around 5 p.m.

Pastor Ronald Covington has never seen anything like this in the 30 years he’s been part of the church, “It was horrible, shocking to see the profanity, the disrespect and the boldness to do something like this in broad daylight.”

When Covington got to the church yesterday afternoon, he could smell the fresh paint.

The pastor said security cameras captured the scene and he shared that video with police. “They didn’t drive in, they walked in, and so it’s probably someone from the community.”

Haughville has seen an increase in vandalism. Just last month, New Found Faith Baptist Church was vandalized, an entire wall was tagged and an arrest was made.

Indianapolis leaders say as many as 40 places have been damaged in the last few months, including other churches, businesses, and homes.

Troy Turner, from the organization BUILD, helped with the clean-up. “It’s heartbreaking. The graffiti earlier was gang related and it was intimidation. This graffiti is counter to our faith and counter to Hoosier values,” he said.

Indianapolis Department of Public Works, community leaders, church members, and neighbors from various parts of the city have showed up to help by scrubbing or pressure washing the paint. Some brought their cleaning supplies and power tools.

Andy Anderson is church member who came to help, “I’m 70 years old. It shot my blood pressure up. It got me upset.”

Volunteers cleaned up Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.

Covington said there will be a prayer vigil Friday to bring the community together.