Police identify suspect they say planted explosive fireworks at Michigan church

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. – The suspect who was arrested on suspicion of planting explosive fireworks at the St. Patrick-St. Anthony Catholic Parish Church shortly after 7 a.m. Sunday has been identified by police as Anthony Lee Wabindato.  

Wabindato, 32,  is in the Ottawa County Jail, authorities confirmed. 

According to police, the incident is resolved and there is no evidence of an ongoing threat. The building was searched by an explosives - detecting K-9 from the Michigan State Police with nothing further located.

Wabindato is accused of vandalizing the building, breaking a television in the process. However, the sanctuary portion of the building was not vandalized.

The suspect also placed M5000 jumbo firecrackers in multiple locations inside and outside the building, police said.  The suspect was taken into custody and the building was evacuated pending a search by the K-9. Mass at the church was canceled following the incident. 

Police used a bomb-sniffing dog to search the church earlier.

The Grand Haven Department of Public Safety released this statement to break news of the incident: 

"Officers responded to St. Patrick-St. Anthony Parish shortly after 7 a.m. Sunday on the report of a disorderly person in the building. Officers found that the man had vandalized the inside of the building, breaking a TV in the process. The sanctuary portion of the building was not vandalized.

The suspect also placed M5000 jumbo firecrackers in multiple locations inside and outside the building. M5000 firecrackers are available commercially and are ignited with a fuse. The suspect was taken into custody and the building was evacuated pending a search by an explosives K-9. Information regarding the scheduled 11 a.m. mass will be forwarded as soon as possible."