LA City Council offers $50K reward for information on burned crosses at Sylmar church

The Los Angeles City Council approved a $50,000 reward Friday for information leading to the identification, apprehension and conviction of those responsible for setting three wooden crosses on fire at the front lawn of a Sylmar church earlier this summer. 

Three crosses were discovered burned July 6 around 5 a.m. and one cross was knocked down at the Sylmar Christian Fellowship Church on Polk Street. A team of investigators worked together to try to determine if the burnings were hate-motivated.

"Because it's at a church, on church property, it's something that we always try to rule out. So we notify our House of Worship Task Force, which consists of the LAFD, LAPD, ATF and FBI," said Capt. Stephen Phillips of Los Angeles City Fire.

The pastor of the church arrived to meet with investigators and said no threats had been made, and he said nothing had recently happened to explain the burnings.

"It's a shame people still want to do something like this," said Pastor Pierre Howard. 

The LAPD reported that the burning of three crosses outside of the church was not believed to be connected to any other arson cases or hate crimes.

Los Angeles police previously stated Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigators "confirmed an accelerant was used to commit the arson. Extensive investigative efforts were conducted at the scene following this incident and the investigation is ongoing. At this point, there is no indication that this arson hate crime is related to any arson or hate crime series."

Anyone with additional information was asked to call Detective Allen at (213) 486-6270, or during non-business hours, (877) 527-3247.

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