Police: Man threatened to burn down Granbury church

A man accused of threatening to burn down a church Sunday morning was arrested without incident after he fled and was found at another church, officials said.

No injuries were reported in the Sunday morning incidents at both The Way Church — the one the man is accused of threatening to burn down — and Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

Police identified the suspect as Christopher Glen Livers, 30, of Granbury.

“I was notified near the end of the service that there was a fellow in the congregation who just did not seem right,” said Pastor Stephen Haverlah of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in a Sunday telephone interview. “I didn’t see a weapon nor did he cause a commotion. Members of the congregation saw to him and the next thing I know he was arrested as he stepped out of the church.”

Patrol officers were first dispatched at 10:16 a.m. Sunday to The Way Church, 4332 E. US. 377, on a 911 call.

“Officers learned that a male subject had busted through a door going into the sanctuary and made a threat to burn the place down,” said Deputy Police Chief Alan Hines in a Sunday news release. “The subject did have an unknown type knife on his person, but did not threaten to use the knife that we are aware of at this time.”

Authorities said the man left The Way Church and drove just over two miles to Emmanuel Lutheran Church.

Service there began at 9:30 a.m. for the 90 people in church at 2301 Fall Creek Highway.

“He didn’t say anything or make any gestures, but members of the congregation just felt he wasn’t right,” Haverlah said on Sunday.

Livers was in the Hood County Jail Sunday afternoon on charges of terroristic threats and criminal mischief, authorities said.

This story was originally published November 8, 2015 at 3:45 PM with the headline "Police: Man threatened to burn down Granbury church."