Off-duty officer arrests alleged church arsonist after donut shop theft

John Jones, a 24-year-old suspect, was taken into custody by an off-duty police officer working a security shift at a CVS in Midtown after he tried to steal a turkey sandwich, a Coke and donuts. Earlier that week, a three-alarm fire consumed the 173-year-old South Bushwick Reformed Church at 855 Bushwick Ave in Brooklyn, and surveillance captured Jones fleeing the scene shortly before the blaze erupted. He already faces a federal complaint filed in the Eastern District of New York and criminal mischief accusations for smashing a TV at the DOC Wine restaurant in Williamsburg, causing $900 in damage.

While officials have not disclosed the specific arson charges, they are treating him as the primary suspect in the church fire. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about repeat offenders and public safety in New York City. Firefighters from the FDNY worked to control the blaze on June 19, 2026.