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Man Charged with Vandalizing 5 Black Churches

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A man was arrested Sunday evening and charged with vandalizing five African-American churches in Morris County, New Jersey, reports CBS News. The Morris County prosecutor’s office said Zuri C. Towns, 45, of Morristown, was arrested Sunday by police detectives. Towns issued a statement confirming that he was responsible for the vandalism and saying he acted alone, prosecutors said. Authorities alleged that Towns walked up to the Church of God in Christ for All Saints on Rowe Street in Morristown and hurled a rock at it, smashing through a stained glass window. “It angered me,” said the Rev. Robert Rogers, pastor of the church. “It really angered me to see someone disrespect a place of worship.” Added church goer Edward Taborn, “It doesn’t feel too good… it really doesn’t. In either one of these churches, as long as I’ve been here, this is the first time I’ve seen something like this happen.” Police said Towns also confessed to vandalizing Bethel A.M.E. Church on Spring Street, Calvary Baptist Church on Martin Luther King Avenue and Union Baptist Church on Spring Street — all in Morristown — along with Morristown Church of Christ on Martin Luther King Avenue in Morris Township. Shattered glass, scattered letters and broken windows characterized the churches in the overnight hours between Friday and Saturday. Towns has been charged with various counts of criminal mischief.

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