Twins accused of fireworks attacks at LDS church indicted on bevy of felonies
Teenage twins accused in commercial firework attacks in a Henderson church in March were indicted last week on a bevy of felony charges.
A grand jury returned 16-count indictments Friday, 15 of which were felony charges, including battery with a deadly weapon and arson, according to Clark County District Court records.
Brothers Caden and Connor Renard, 18, remained jailed at the Clark County Detention Center, each with a $1 million bail.
“At this time, these events do not to appear to be racially/ethnically motivated or a religious hate crime,” police wrote at the time of their April 11 arrests at Basic High School.
The attacks occurred at the Arrowhead Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 800 block of Arrowhead Trail.
On March 4, a “lit explosive mortar” injured two church members in a hallway, according to Henderson police and the indictment.
Later that month, on March, 27, another explosive injured four members gathered in a gym at the church, police said.
The brothers are not facing charges in a similar attack the previous month in which someone lobbed a firework into the church lobby, leaving one person injured.
None of the injuries were described as serious, but the incidents prompted a response from the Southern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center, a task force that comprises local and federal agencies, such as the FBI, police said.
Police said they used witnesses and surveillance footage to identify the brothers.
After denying involvement, Caden Renard later admitted to the attacks, according to his arrest report.
Asked about a possible motivation in an interview with investigators, Renard told them that he thought it would be fun, the report stated.
“Caden agreed that most people would feel fearful, frightened and scared having a flaming mortar explode nearby them,” police wrote in his arrest report. “Caden also agreed that people should be able to assemble at their desired house of worship and not be afraid of being hurt.”
Attorneys representing the brothers, who are next due in court Thursday, did not immediately return messages seeking comment.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
