April 27, 2025 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

FBI Investigating Blast At Anti-Gay Church

An El Monte church that had been threatened this month with an arson attack over its condemnation of same-sex marriages was damaged early Saturday, Jan. 23, when someone threw a bomb at the building. The FBI and local police are investigating the explosion. 

Officers responding around 4:30am initially thought a vandal had broken the windows of First Works Baptist Church, said Lt. Christopher Cano of the city’s police department. Officers then noticed smoke coming from inside. 

“Then we realized that the windows were not smashed, that they had actually blown out from some type of explosion,” Cano said.

Officials didn’t immediately detail the extent of the damage inside the church east of downtown Los Angeles and no injuries have been reported. 

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said FBI technicians are working with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department bomb squad and the El Monte Police Department during the initial investigation. 

Eimiller said it was premature to call the incident a hate crime, but “that’s always going to be considered as a theory when a house of worship is attacked.” 

Protestors have repeatedly targeted the church headed by Pastor Bruce Mejia, who has condemned same-sex relationships.

A statement on it website says: “We believe that homosexuality is a sin and an abomination which God punishes with the death penalty.”

Mejia’s sermons and the church’s stance were called hate speech during public comments at an El Monte City Council meeting. 

The Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit advocacy organization specializing in civil rights litigation, listed the church on its 2019 watch list of “anti-LBGTQ hate groups.”

Related Posts

Skirball Center’s Puppet Festival Promises an Afternoon of Imagination and Play

April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

SoCal’s Top Puppeteers Will Perform Alongside Live Music, DIY Puppet-Making The Skirball Cultural Center is set to transform into a...

Q&A: No Age Limit on Home Care Management & Home Safety, Tips from a Care Manager

April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

In-home safety issues that go unnoticed — cracked sidewalks, broken railings or uneven flooring for example — are often the root...

West Hollywood Braces for Controversial Rally, Reaffirms Commitment to Equality

April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

City of West Hollywood Condemns Harmful Rhetoric Ahead of Planned Assembly City officials and public safety leaders in West Hollywood...

Culver City Police Hosts DEA Drug Take Back Day on April 26

April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

Dispose of Expired Prescriptions Safely and Anonymously The Culver City Police Department will participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back...

Former Cedars-Sinai OB-GYN Accused of Sexually Abusing Patients for Four Decades

April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

Ten Women Say Their Reports Were Ignored as Brock Continued to Practice for Decades. A group of 10 women has...

LAX/Metro Station is One Step Closer to Transforming the Airport Commute

April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

New Multi-Modal Metro Station Connects Angelenos to the Airport Metro Board Chair and Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn announced...

FBI Unravels Alleged Plot to Sell Stolen Andy Warhol Print in Beverly Hills

April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

Mid-City Pawn Shop Owner Charged in High-Stakes Art Scheme The owner of a pawn shop in Los Angeles’ Mid-City neighborhood...

The Brian Jonestown Massacre Drops New Double A-Side Ahead of U.S. Tour

April 24, 2025

April 24, 2025

Legendary Psych-Rockers Set April 25 Release and Fall North American Tour The Brian Jonestown Massacre is set to release a...

(Video) Matú Kai Brentwood: The full experience

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Sister restaurant to Matú in Beverly Hills, located at 11777 San Vicente Blvd. Sister restaurant to Matú in Beverly Hills,...

Uncle Stevey’s Bagels Wins Westside Hearts with Next-Level Bagels, Premium Sandwiches, and Local Coffee

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Family-Run Shop Serves Delicious and Thoughtfully Curated Bagels With Love By Dolores Quintana A little more than a year since...

Santa Monica’s Socalo Toasts Pali Wine Co. with a Five-Course Culinary Celebration

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Enjoy Celebrated Central Coast Wines, Including a 100-Point Red Blend Socalo, the acclaimed Mexican restaurant from celebrity chefs Mary Sue...

Go Go Bird Teams Up with Chef Chris Oh for Korean-Inspired Fried Chicken Sandwich

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Crispy, Saucy, Spicy: Chris Oh’s Fried Chicken Sandwich Lands in Culver City Go Go Bird, located in Culver City’s Citizen...

Fogo de Chão Hosts Wine Lover’s Dream Night with Chilean Winery VIK

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

Diners Will Enjoy a Chef-Curated South American Menu, Highly Rated Wines Wine lovers and culinary connoisseurs are invited to gather...

(Video) A Myriad of Ways to Unlock Your Beauty Offered at Mirror Mirror Med Spa

April 23, 2025

April 23, 2025

For More Info, Go To Mirrormedspa.com For More Info, Go To https://t.co/KJ6rMHm6wj pic.twitter.com/hRl6JlLSNy — Palisades News (@PalisadesNewsLA) April 23, 2025

City Council Member John Erickson Honors Pope Francis After His Passing

April 22, 2025

April 22, 2025

Pope of the People Remembered by West Hollywood City Council Member  West Hollywood City Council member and former Mayor John...