The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is trying to gauge the damage done to the four-story St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Boyle Heights. The church was the scene of a fire allegedly set to the bell tower by a man wearing only boxer shorts and a single sock.
The suspect fled from the scene and was shortly after taken into custody.
"The church building incurred some damage, including fire damage to the roof of the bell tower and some broken stained-glass windows, but thankfully no one was in the building at the time," said Archdiocese spokeswoman Itzel Magana to City News Service. "The parish is currently assessing the extent of the damage."
According to Magana, the parish has been part of the Boyle Heights community for more than a century.
Los Angeles Fire Department units responded about 8:25 p.m. Wednesday to the church at 407 S. Chicago St. on reports of a possible jumper on the roof who appeared "to be trying to light the building on fire," according to the department's Margaret Stewart.
The fire at the church burned out, and firefighters said there was no threat to the building.
The suspect tried to outrun the police by jumping from rooftop to rooftop and even swinging on cables above the street. CBS2 reported that the suspect also entered an apartment briefly. No occupants were harmed.
The man was taken into custody before 10 p.m. Wednesday night, KCAL9 reported.
Reporting was contributed by City News Service.