The man suspected of setting fire to Mississippi’s largest synagogue allegedly confessed his crimes to law enforcement and referred to the building in northeast Jackson as the “synagogue of Satan,” according to a federal court document filed Monday.

Stephen Spencer Pittman, 19, of Madison – who usually goes by his middle name – is facing federal charges for using fire to maliciously damage or destroy a building involved in interstate commerce, according to a probable cause affidavit in the U.S. Southern District of Mississippi.

The Beth Israel Congregation synagogue also houses the offices of the Institute for Southern Jewish Life, which provides school programs and traveling rabbinical services to Jewish congregations across the South. 

The predawn fire Saturday reduced the historic synagogue’s library and administrative offices to charred ruins and left smoke damage throughout the building, the same one the Ku Klux Klan bombed in 1967 for its rabbi’s support of civil rights. 

In a striking parallel, Pittman is alleged to have set fire to the same part of the octagonal building that burned in the 1967 attack – a wing facing a parking lot exit on Old Canton Road. 

Pittman appeared in federal court on Monday afternoon via video conference, accompanied by a public defender. He affirmed to the judge, Andrew Harris, that he was competent and sober. Pittman appeared to be leaning back in his chair, gazing away from the camera. When the judge asked him if he understood his rights to an attorney, Pittman responded, “Yes sir, Jesus Christ is Lord.”

Both of Pittman’s hands were wrapped in bandages, and he had no visible burns on his face. He is scheduled to be released from the hospital on Wednesday, his attorney told the judge before requesting a Jan. 20 hearing to determine bond. The prosecutor, Matt Allen, moved to have Pittman detained as he awaits trial.

If convicted, Pittman faces five to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Federal court documents did not list an attorney for him and did not include a booking photograph of him.

In a statement Monday, Beth Israel Congregation thanked investigators for swiftly apprehending a suspect and said it is noteworthy that Pittman “appears to have admitted to committing this heinous act out of hatred for the Jewish people.”

“This news puts a face and name to this tragedy, but does not change our resolve to proudly — even defiantly — continue Jewish life in Jackson in the face of hatred,” the congregation’s statement said. “The response and support from our community, both from local churches and from the worldwide Jewish community, has been overwhelming.”

Federal investigators quickly identified Pittman as a person of interest, according to the affidavit, which includes text messages he allegedly sent to his father in the course of setting the fire Saturday. The father pleaded for his son to return home, the affidavit says, but Pittman “replied back by saying he was due for a homerun and ‘I did my research.’” 

Pittman is alleged to have confessed to his father, who later contacted the FBI and provided GPS data showing Pittman was at the synagogue early Saturday morning. 

The son “laughed as he told his father what he did and said he finally got them,” says the affidavit from Nicholas Amiano, an FBI agent in the Jackson division. 

Amiano said Pittman purchased gasoline from Mac’s Gas in Ridgeland, where he also removed the license plate from his truck. Then he drove to the synagogue, used an ax to break through one of the windows, went inside, poured gasoline and lit it on fire with a torch lighter. 

Once at Beth Israel, Pittman also texted his father a photo of the back of the synagogue writing “there’s a furnace in the back,” “Btw my plate is off,” “Hoodie is on” and “and they have the best cameras.” 

Investigators recovered a burnt cell phone believed to be Pittman’s and a hand torch found at the synagogue by a member of the congregation, the affidavit says.  

Security camera video obtained by Mississippi Today shows a hooded person splashing liquid inside the lobby of the synagogue, spraying his legs in the process. A screengrab of the security footage is included in the FBI affidavit. 

Mayor John Horhn said Monday the suspect drove himself to a hospital after he was burned in the course of setting the fire. He added there is a possibility the suspect will be charged with a hate crime. The affidavit states that Pittman sustained burns on his ankles, hands and face. 

“We thought that Mississippi was beyond that sort of thing,” Horhn said on Mississippi Today’s podcast. 

By Monday, news of the arson had drawn an outpouring of local support for Beth Israel. The mayor, multiple city council members, religious institutions and elected officials condemned the attack, which has also caught the attention of top officials at the U.S. Department of Justice. 

In a statement to Mississippi Today, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann, a Republican who has long lived near the synagogue, condemned the attack.

“The burning of Beth Israel Synagogue was an act of religious hatred against a place meant to offer prayerful peace and comfort,” Hosemann said. “This was not only an attack on a house of worship, but also an offense against the religious freedom protected by our Constitution. Such acts threaten all of us, regardless of faith. The perpetrator should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” 

Mississippi House Speaker Jason White said the fire was a “horrible act” that must be condemned.

“It’s awful and terrible,” White said Monday. “It’s also a reflection on where we are as a society. Intolerance finds its way in a lot of different places.”

News of the attack also reverberated internationally over the weekend. Harmeet Dhillon, the Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, wrote on the social media site X that she was “personally involved and my team is in touch with the US Attorney’s office locally.”

Other officials who publicly condemned the attack include the Democratic leaders in Congress, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves issued a statement on Monday afternoon, writing, “this heinous act will never be tolerated, and the perpetrator should face the full and solemn weight of their actions.”

Gov. Reeves’ statement also noted that Pittman was admitted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center and that state charges will be pursued “at the appropriate time.”

Pittman was a multi-year honor roll student and varsity baseball player at St. Joseph Catholic School in Madison, according to previous local news reports. 

After graduating from St. Joseph in 2024, Pittman played baseball at Coahoma Community College. 

“I am blessed to announce I will be commuting to Coahoma Community College to play baseball,” Pittman posted on X in 2023. “Thank you God and everyone who has helped me along the way! Go tigers!”

St. Joseph and the Catholic Diocese of Jackson issued a joint statement Monday saying: “The actions attributed to the accused individual are senseless, reprehensible, and wholly incompatible with the values taught by the Catholic Church and upheld in our Catholic schools. …. We stand in solidarity with Beth Israel Congregation and with the Jewish community.”

The leader of the diocese, Bishop Joseph R. Kopacz also said in the statement: “We reaffirm our commitment to the teachings of Nostra aetate, which call the Church to  reject antisemitism, to honor our shared spiritual heritage, and to pursue mutual respect and  dialogue. In a world marked by rising tensions and hatred, we  recommit ourselves to building understanding and peace among people of all faiths.”

Pittman posted regularly on his X account, often about baseball and Christianity. Many posts pair videos of him practicing his swing in a batting cage with a captioned Bible verse.

Pittman’s most recent post, on Jan. 6, links to a webpage called One Purpose, which describes itself as a faith-based community for men focused on “​​Scripture-backed fitness. Brotherhood accountability. Life-expectancy maxxing.”

He was an outfielder and played in at least 10 games for Coahoma Community College, according to the Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference. 

Before law enforcement officials revealed Pittman’s name Monday, Pittman’s name and photograph no longer appeared on the Coahoma Community College’s online roster. The community college did not immediately respond to a phone call requesting comment on Monday.

A gathering of religious leaders across Jackson planned for later this week has shifted its focus to uplifting Beth Israel in the wake of the attack. The citywide prayer service will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday at Thalia Mara Hall, according to a city press release. 

Beth Israel has established a donation fund for rebuilding, with a link on the congregation’s website.

Editor’s note 1/12/2026: This story has been updated with comments from Mississippi House Speaker Jason White.