Minneapolis man charged with arson in Monday fire at Mercy Islamic Center
Fire crews respond to a fire Monday, April 24, 2023, at Mercy Islamic Center in Minneapolis. (KSTP)
A Minneapolis man has been charged with second-degree arson in connection with a fire at Mercy Islamic Center on Monday.
If convicted, Jackie Rahm Little could face a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $20,000 fine, or both. A warrant has been put out for his arrest.
As previously reported, Minneapolis police received a report of an arson at the mosque on Monday.
RELATED: Authorities investigating 2 mosque fires in consecutive days in Minneapolis
Surveillance footage shows a man, later identified as Little, entering the building with a bag that contained a gas can, according to the criminal complaint.
A short time later, a staff member saw a fire in a hallway on the building’s top floor. A melted gas can was later found at the site of the fire.
Both Minneapolis Police and Fire Departments responded to the scene.
Damage to the building was estimated to be around $50,000, according to CAIR-MN; however, the criminal complaint says that damage was estimated to be over $1,000.
Police found surveillance video at a nearby gas station showing Little buying a gas can and then filling it with gas on the day of the arson.
Court records indicate Little has been civilly committed due to mental illness on multiple occasions beginning in April 2021. At least one instance was related to alleged arson.
According to one court filing in December 2021, Little “was picked up by Bloomington Police on four pending charges of arson in Bloomington and three pending charges of arson in Minneapolis.”
Little “reportedly got into separate conflicts with individuals he was staying with at separate times that escalated into setting flames to the homes,” the civil commitment filing states.
Little was charged with one alleged arson incident in December 2021, but was found incompetent by the court, according to records.
Police are also investigating another arson at a mosque in Minneapolis, which occurred on Sunday at Masjid Omar Islamic Center inside the 24 Somali Mall.
The suspect in Sunday’s arson has not been officially identified or charged. Police are asking for the public’s help in identifying him:
