On Monday, September 29, 2025, between 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., a fire broke out in the main sanctuary of the “Prayer City Eagles Chapel International Ministeries”, located on Joe Jerkins Blvd, in Austell in Cobb county. No one injured was identified. Quickly alerted, the firefighters intervened and fought fire for several hours. The building has undergone major damage, including the partial collapse of the roof.
The investigation made it possible to identify a suspect, Aries Maliah Jordan, 25 years old and resident of the Atlanta region. Former visitor of the church, she had recently sent to religious leaders messages where she explicitly announced her desire to set fire to the building and uttered death threats against the pastor and his wife. On October 1, 2025, Aries Jordan was arrested in Mableton, then placed in police custody for voluntary fire, terrorist threats, burglary and vandalism. A flammable liquid can be discovered on the scene.
The first investigations suggest that the motivations of the act are linked to an anterior dispute between the suspect and the Church. The establishment had just reopened to the public after major works related to water damage in 2023. The fire rekindled the mobilization of the entire local Christian community.
After the disaster, religious services were kept outside the building. The community, made up of around 300 members, immediately mobilized to launch a fundraising with a view to the reconstruction of the sanctuary. The town hall of Austell, Pastor Raphael Grant and institutional leaders have publicly expressed their determination to guarantee the safety of the faithful and restore the premises.
The reactions of the media and authorities were marked by strong local solidarity and calls for strengthening security around places of worship. No major divergence was noted between the different versions of the facts.
“This is the house of God. The day before 10 years now. “Said Justice Asante, member of the Church. Pastor Raphael Grant, on the other hand, said: “We are going to rebuild the community and the faith that have made us what we are. The official surveys carried out by the Austell police department, the Georgia fire insurance service and local firefighters remain open.
