AURORA | Aurora pastor and former City Council candidate Thomas Mayes says a Molotov cocktail sparked the fire which last month damaged the offices of Living Water Christian Center, located inside Aurora First Presbyterian Church.
“It’s still under investigation, as far as who would have the audacity to attack God’s house,” Mayes said during an April 17 vigil and news conference held next to the church. “It’s not about the color of our skin. It’s not about our faith or how we believe. It’s about (how) an attack on any of us is an attack on all of us.”
According to Mayes, investigators retrieved surveillance camera footage of the incident from the church after the blaze was extinguished. Although he has yet to see the footage himself, Mayes said he was told by Aurora Fire Rescue that it shows a Molotov cocktail being lobbed through the window of his ministry’s office.
Burned debris litters the inside of Pastor Thomas Mayes’ office at Aurora First Presbyterian Church following a March 28, 2024 fire that he and other Aurora-area pastors have said was the result of a firebombing. (Photos Courtesy of Pastor Thomas Mayes)
Aurora Fire Rescue has so far disclosed few details about its ongoing investigation into the cause of the fire, which broke out on the building’s garden level during the morning of March 28.
Agency spokeswoman Dawn Small wrote in an email Wednesday that investigators are still developing their theory as to how the fire may have started and are in the process of interviewing witnesses.
“Then they will be analyzing the information and data gathered and determining whether the hypothesis can be substantiated,” she said.
Police spokeswoman Sydney Edwards directed questions about the investigation to firefighters.
Like many of his congregants, Mayes is Black. Arson attacks and bombings have long been used against churches to intimidate Black communities in the United States.
Standing next to boarded-up windows and soot-stained brick at the south end of the building, Mayes was joined by members of his congregation, fellow pastors and Black community leaders for Wednesday’s public prayer vigil.
“God has brought us this far,” Mayes said of his congregation’s history in the north Aurora church. “And I say something often: I don’t believe he brought us this far just to bring us this far. So, God has a lot more for us.”
Mayes’ congregation has called the space at 1585 Kingston St. home for 20 years. While much of the church is still usable, including the sanctuary, Mayes said it could be months before his ministry’s offices are fully restored.
Doug Friesema, head pastor at Aurora First Presbyterian Church, highlighted the diversity of worshipers who attend the church, located just a few blocks from Colfax Avenue, as he led the group in a prayer.
“You make connections between people of different races and colors, different continents and countries, different languages and cultures, Lord,” Friesema said.
“We pray for (the) people who have been involved in the attack on this place. Oh, Lord, open their eyes as well, so that they might see that you would love them, too — that they, too, are being called to participate, to be active in the work that is happening here to make this an even stronger community.”
Speakers also called on the person or people behind the fire to turn themselves in and insisted a bombing would not frighten them away from the area.
“Church bombings have been historic in our community to try to run people who are doing the right work away. But we’re here to stay,” said Omar Montgomery, president of the Aurora NAACP.
“We also want to thank those who are doing the investigation — the fire department, the police department — and we hope that we’re able to find these individuals so they do not repeat this crime and hold them accountable accordingly, and, at the same time, pray for them.”
Mayes said the FBI and Department of Homeland Security are participating in the investigation alongside Aurora police and fire.
FBI representative Vikki Migoya wrote in an email that the agency does not “as a matter of practice, discuss or describe any contact we have or allegedly have with individuals,” and Homeland Security spokesman Steve Kotecki referred questions to Aurora Fire Rescue.
While the fire occurred soon after local nonprofit Colfax Community Network left its former space in the church and just a week before a structure next to the nonprofit’s new building on Montview Boulevard caught fire, Aurora Fire Rescue has said there is no connection suspected between the two incidents.
Small did not share a timeline for when the investigation into the March 28 fire may conclude, saying only that it is ongoing.
Blame the l.one criminaloser.
Sadly, all churcheshould have security cameras.
And keep all doors closed, and locked if possible, to stop spread of smoke and fire.
What seems unusual is that Thomas Mayes has not had an offer or the opportunity to view the videos that are out there. Victims of crimes are also good at identifying suspects. But, not here for some reason, odd.
The other thing is that area up and down Colfax as we are well aware of, has become as much a cesspool as Aurora can create. The crime runs amuck and truly has skyrocketed is that area. This could be so simple as homeless drug addicts with no particular target in mind. They just wonder around town and the scale of crime of what they do, they don’t care, they really don’t. It’s not the first fire caused amongst crazed addicts.
I agree with both comments. I would feel it is possibly anti-religious and what a shame the Church was harmed. The Pastor is well-forgiving and kind, humble. As I read the Reply above, it can be most concerning if the church is in a bad area but I also understand one’s Faith in God to Prevail through evil.
Unfortunately, it may be wise to have surveillance to determine what you are dealing with and holding the person(s) accountable.
May the Church prevail going forward. Let’s Pray for God’s intervention, preservation of our Faith and pray for people to be Saved!