Nutcase Has History Of Attacking Religious Statues

[bloodrayne]

Man Arrested In Ax Attack On Mormon Christ Statue

Oakland -- A Washington man with a history of attacking religious statues was arrested Thursday night after using a large ax to hack pieces off the hand of a Jesus statue at the Oakland Mormon Temple, police said.

The visitor center, where the 11-foot statue is on display, is open to the public, and several worshippers were in the area when Larry B. Sargeant, 73, of Colville Wash. went into a violent rage and began swinging a 2-foot long ax at the marble Christus statue.

No one was injured thanks to the help of three bystanders who got the man in a choke hold, wrestled him the ground and pulled the ax and a large knife away from him, police said.

Dressed in blue overalls, a plaid shirt and a tool belt, Sargeant had not only an ax but also a 10-inch knife sheathed on his belt, police said. Officials of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Sargeant tried to deface another religious statue at the Salt Lake City Temple a few years ago and was arrested.

Before swinging the ax Thursday, police said Sargeant put an incoherent note at the base of the statue. It reads: "Thus saith Jehovah. Thou shalt not make into thee any image of God. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thus saith Jehovah God of the USA and God of the Heavens."

Church officials said Sargeant told them he "opposes graven images."

Church officials said the statue was worth more than $25,000 and that the damage will be repaired as soon as possible. A white towel covered the damaged hand Friday.

One witness to the attack said Sargeant was screaming as he hit the statue. Pieces were flying all over the place.

Sargeant refused to explain his actions to police, saying only, God made me do it, police said.

Both police and church officials credited bystanders for intervening before anyone was injured.

Sargeant was first tackled by a 53-year-old man from Ceres (Stanislaus County) and assisted by two others, including a 57-year-old San Pablo woman who wrenched the ax from his hand, police said.

The Ceres man, who was visiting the temple with his daughter and son-in-law, told police he grabbed (Sargeant) around the neck. He still had the ax in his hand.

The man attempted to swing the ax at me but I was hindering his movement by holding him around the neck and arm.

I then struggled with the man until I was able to throw him to the floor. I held him in a choke hold until others came to help me hold him down.

The San Pablo woman told police, I stepped on this guy's right hand and pulled the ax away from him. She also got the knife out of its sheath. A 74-year-old church worker was also involved in the fray.

None of the bystanders were available for comment Friday.

But Sylvan Seeley, the director of the visitor center, said he had spoken to the man for about 90 minutes beginning at 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

We were just talking about Mormon doctrine, Seeley said. He had his ideas. He knew a lot about our church, and was really quite friendly. I surely didn't detect anything that would lead to what he did. It was just a surprise to all of us.

Sargeant left the temple about 2 p.m. Thursday, but returned later that night.

The incident happened about 8 p.m. at the church's visitor center at the top of Lincoln Avenue in Oakland's Dimond District. The temple, which is illuminated with tens of thousands of holiday lights and displays every December, is a busy place, drawing some 20,000 visitors during the month of December, church officials said.

Sargeant, who suffered a scratch under his nose, was taken to the Oakland City Jail where he was booked on suspicion of committing a hate crime against a place of worship and vandalism of religious property. He was not available for comment Friday and there was no answer at his Washington home.

It's an important part of the center and we look forward to it being restored, Pimentel said.

[horror_master]

All have to say about this is, it really sad when people can't let other partice thier own reglion