Dale Michael Dockery
A 52-year-old Chattanooga man has been arrested after a string of incidents in which the numbers "666" were written on local churches, including two in Bradley County. 666 is called the "number of the beast" in the biblical book of Revelation.
Dale Dockery is facing vandalism and civil rights intimidation charges.
Adam Lewis of the Bradley County Sheriff's Office said, "We would like to thank the public for their help in identifying the suspect in Friday’s church vandalism in Bradley County.
"We received a number of tips by phone and through social media.
As a result detectives have been able to identify a male suspect, Dale Dockery, age 52.
Bradley County Sheriff Steve Lawson said, “I am grateful for the public’s willingness to come forward with valuable information assisting in our investigation. Our patrol and Criminal Investigation divisions acted quickly, and worked tirelessly over the last two days to identify this individual.”
After consulting with the District Attorney’s office a misdemeanor charge of vandalism and a felony charge of civil rights intimidation has been filed in Bradley County.
Dockery was arrested in Chattanooga on Sunday morning and was being held at the Hamilton County Jail with a hold from the Bradley County Sheriff’s Office.
In an incident on Thursday, a woman said she was inside the office at Expressway Towing on Rossville Boulevard and saw a black Toyota pull up to the side of the building. She said she thought it was strange so she went outside. She said a man in the vehicle began throwing pennies in the parking lot and at the windshield of vehicles.
She said he turned to her and said, "This is strike 3 666. Let's roll."
On the same day at Canaan Baptist Church on 13th Avenue in Chattanooga a church official said someone had drawn 666 on all the crosses in front of the building and on the door. A video showed a white male, tall, heavy-set, medium-length hair, balding park in the parking lot in front of the church. He got out and wrote the numbers on the church.
Officers spoke with Stephen Dockery who said his brother "is a mental health consumer and recently has been talking about satanic and spiritual things."
Members of the church estimated it would cost $500 to repaint the marred section of the church.
On Saturday, Jim Winters of USA Fuels on E. 23rd Street said an American flag and multiple fuel pumps had been vandalized with 666 written on them.
He said Dockery had been in and out of the store multiple times recently shouting about 666 and even holding a sign that said 666.
Dockery was picked up at the Inntown Suites on Lee Highway.