Pastor vows to rebuild torched church after arson suspect arrested
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) - The pastor of God of No Limits Church in SW OKC is speaking out after a suspect was arrested for allegedly setting the church building on fire on April 17th.
"I get a call from the fire department and they said, 'You have a massive structure fire, you need to come,'" said Marty Alvarado, who serves as lead pastor of the congregation.
"I could see the flames and thats when my heart just began to break."
According to court documents, video shows a man setting the inside of the church on fire and then moving to the outside.
Security video from a nearby 7-11 about twenty minutes earlier showed what investigators believe to be the same man buying a lighter.
The suspect, Oscar Gomez was later arrested by federal agents after confessing to the crime.
Alvarado said the congregation was familiar with the man and have helped him in recent years.
"We fed him many, many times [through our feeding ministry and] he never caused any issues," he added.
"But we know lately his mental state was very bad," said Alvarado.
"If I could speak with him face to face I would just simply tell him that we forgive him."
"Christ tells us that we're to forgive. If we can't do that then we're not really doing the job we're supposed to," he continued.
A tragedy fund for the church has been set up through First Fidelity bank.