FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Police are searching for a man who they said stood outside the Sunshine Cathedral during a service Sunday morning, burned a piece of cardboard, and then returned later that day to throw eggs at the LGBTQ+ church in Fort Lauderdale.
Fort Lauderdale police and Fort Lauderdale Fire Rescue said they responded to a call of vandalism at the church, located in the 1400 block of Southwest Ninth Avenue, but could not find the man involved in the incident.
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In a post on Facebook Tuesday, the church said the man burned debris “in what appeared to be some sort of ritual, presumably in opposition to the LGBTQ+ affirming ministry of the Sunshine Cathedral.”
Fort Lauderdale police spokeswoman Casey Liening said no one was harmed in the incident and no permanent damage was done to any property.
Rev. Dr. Durrell Watkins, Senior Minister of Sunshine Cathedral, said of the vandalizer in a Facebook post, “We have no idea what sort of pain he is in or what has motivated him to act in such unpleasant ways. We can only assume he is experiencing some sort of mental dysfunction and we hope he gets the care he needs.”
Police said due to the fire, investigators are unable to determine at this time if anything was drawn or written on the cardboard.
“We believe we have identified a possible suspect,” Liening said Wednesday. “The investigation remains ongoing and no other information is available at this time.”
The Fort Lauderdale Police Department’s Threat Response Unit is investigating both of these incidents and police encourage anyone with information to contact them at 954-828-5700.
