OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – An Oklahoma City church is heavily damaged by what appears to be vandalism and the pastor believes it could be an attack on the Christian faith.

That’s because amid all the damage – a single cross, the center, cross of Christ was taken down. 

“My question is why just one? Why the big one?” said Juan Manuel Diaz, the  Pastor at Iglesia Jesucristo es mi Fortaleza. “That’s an attack, that’s an attack to the churches, maybe that’s an attack to the Hispanic churches.”

The church is located near I-240 and Santa Fe in Oklahoma City.

Pastor Diaz says he was up late in the early hours of Wednesday morning when he got a call from OKC Police.

His church had been vandalized.

  • Oklahoma City church allegedly vandalized. Image KFOR.
    Oklahoma City church allegedly vandalized. Image KFOR.
  • Oklahoma City church allegedly vandalized. Image KFOR.
    Oklahoma City church allegedly vandalized. Image KFOR.
  • Oklahoma City church allegedly vandalized. Image KFOR.
    Oklahoma City church allegedly vandalized. Image KFOR.

“They said Juan, I know you don’t want to hear it but you need to show up,” Pastor Diaz recalled. 

Police went out to the scene after midnight when they got a call of an excavator in the middle of Santa Fe near Southeast 79th.

When they got there, they found it in the road, running – with destruction – that according to the police report, appeared deliberate.

The heavy machinery belongs to a construction company that’s been doing work – free of charge – for the church.

As for who did it, that’s a mystery because the church doesn’t have surveillance cameras.

You see, Pastor Diaz does prison ministry and works with people from all walks of life.

“That’s one of the reasons I don’t have cameras,” Diaz said. “I don’t want to know who did this but the police told me yesterday that I need to do it because they’re not going to stop and that’s correct.”

He’s now beefing up his security as he faces costly repairs.

“I was calling all the TV stations last night and I appreciate you, ok, Channel 4,” Diaz said. “I sent an email and you are the only one who respond. Man, that’s good but it’s sad. What’s happening here? This is an attack to the church and we have to stop this stuff.”

If you’d like to help them with the cost of the damage, you can visit their Facebook page or call (405) 761-5557.

If you know anything that can help with the investigation, call OKC Police.