"With his gym clothes, cross necklace, floppy hair, and singular fixation on linking all of his efforts and successes to his faith, the 19-year-old Pittman looked like the archetype of the Southern Christian sports bro. In a note accompanying one video of batting practice from late 2024, he wrote: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Romans 12:18.""
"It was an act of calculated and ambitious hate, targeting the Beth Israel Synagogue, Jackson's oldest synagogue and a building that had been firebombed by the Ku Klux Klan back in 1967. Pittman, who was arrested Saturday night after his father contacted the FBI, told investigators he had targeted the "Synagogue of Satan" for its "Jewish ties." Authorities also say he laughed when his father confronted him and bragged that he "finally got them.""
Spencer Pittman cultivated a devout, athletic persona on social media, posting baseball photos, training videos, scripture captions, and references to faith. He appeared as a 19-year-old outfielder with gym records and public schedules, often linking accomplishments to religion. Pittman confessed to setting fire to Beth Israel Synagogue in Jackson, a historic building previously firebombed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1967. Authorities say he targeted the synagogue for its "Jewish ties," laughed when confronted by his father, and bragged that he "finally got them." Pittman was arrested after his father contacted the FBI, and questions remain about how he became radicalized.
Read at Slate Magazine
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