By 1st Sgt. Chad Hill

Danny Bruce Kirby, Jr.

KOSCIUSKO — A Garrett man is behind bars after confessing that he tried to burn-down a Kosciusko County church.

Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Deputies responded Sunday, November 13^th, to the Harrison Center Church, located at 965 South, County Road 800 West, Etna Green at approximately 8:23 p.m.  Officers met with two individuals who had been driving past the church and noticed a small fire on the outside of the building.  The fire was quickly extinguished, but a Bible was located near the siding that was determined to have been ignited to provide a burning source.

Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Detectives were provided with information inside the partially burned Bible, which subsequently let them to Danny Bruce Kirby, Jr.  DeKalb County officers were able to locate Kirby and arrest him on a probation violation warrant yesterday.  While incarcerated, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Detective Shane Bucher obtained a confession from Kirby that he had ignited the Bible on fire with the intent to burn the Harrison Center Church.  Bucher advised that the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office is actively pursuing Level IV felony charges of arson again Kirby as he is currently being held in the DeKalb County Jail with no bond from the probation violation charges.

The Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office advises that the defendant’s charge is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.