Baltimore County police have arrested a 37-year-old man of no fixed address and charged him in connection with the July 29 breaking of several windows at Trinity Episcopal Church, in Towson.
At 11:40 a.m. on July 29 police responded to the church on Allegheny Avenue for a report of a man breaking the church's windows with a pipe.
Officers located Gary Slavinsky Jr. and took him into custody, according to police. After arriving at Precinct 6 headquarters, in Towson, Slavinsky grabbed a chair and advanced on an officer, police said, adding that Slavinsky was taken to the ground by a second officer.
Slavinsky was injured in the altercation and taken to a hospital. While at the hospital, Slavinsky struck an officer in the hand, police said.
Slavinsky has been charged with destruction of property, assault on police and related charges, according to police. He is being held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $75,000 bail.
The Rev. Ken Saunders, rector at Trinity Episcopal, said a young man approached the intercom at the church's door on the morning of July 29 requesting entry into the building. Saunders said the man wouldn't state his business, and therefore wasn't allowed in.
Saunders said that he and other church officials did not recognize the man as a member of the church community.
The man pulled out a silver-colored pipe and began smashing windows, including windows on the door to the entrance of the parish house, windows on the entrances to some offices, and the passenger-side mirror of Saunders' vehicle, Saunders said.
Saunders said he did not get the impression that the man was upset with him specifically, but rather that the man was acting generally angry.
"We're praying for him and the community and sweeping up the glass," Saunders said July 29. "It was a really scary thing."
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.