3 years later, search continues for suspects in bombing of anti-LGBTQ church in El Monte

The FBI is renewing calls for help on the three-year anniversary of the bombing of a controversial church in El Monte.

On Jan. 23, 2021, First Works Baptist Church was the site of a bombing attack carried out by at least two individuals.

Security footage showed a man and a woman smashing a church window, lighting an object and throwing it inside before the explosion. They were then seen fleeing on foot before getting into a vehicle.

Multiple 911 callers reported hearing an explosion, which led to officers from the El Monte Police Department being dispatch to the church on Tyler Avenue.

Police and firefighters from the Los Angeles County Fire Department arrived and found what was described as a “post-blast” scene.

Windows had been blown out from an explosion and walls outside the church were vandalized with profanity.

It was later determined that a homemade bomb, or improvised explosive device, had gone off inside. Officers evacuated more than a dozen homes and a bomb squad was called to the scene to ensure no “secondary devices” remained.

The church had made headlines due to its controversial opinions regarding the LGBTQ+ community and same-sex relationships. It was designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, and a Change.org petition to have the church ousted from the city had garnered thousands of online signatures.

The church was also the target of protests, and elected officials acknowledged hearing about “anti-LGBTQ+ and misogynistic sermons” taking place within its walls. Its pastor, Bruce Mejia, had previously informed law enforcement about threats made to the church, according to a 2021 report from the San Gabriel Valley Tribune.

Despite its unpopularity in the community and calls for the church to be removed, authorities have stopped short of calling the attack a hate crime.

Authorities have yet to directly link the attack to any backlash the church had received and Mejia had stated at the time that any violence directed toward his church or congregation would do nothing to change his message. Officials urged that violence was not the answer when facing intolerance.

The FBI is continuing to search for the suspects in the attack and on Tuesday they published photos from the security footage in hopes of producing new leads.

“The male suspect was described as Hispanic, between 5’8” and 6’1”, and weighing approximately 170 to 180 pounds,” FBI officials said. “The female suspect was described as Hispanic, between 5’3” and 5’5”, and weighing approximately 125 to 135 pounds.”

Anyone with information about this ongoing investigation was urged to contact the FBI Los Angeles Field Office at 310-477-6565, or your nearest FBI Office of American Embassy or Consulate.

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