Second Fayetteville man facing arson charges in connection with Market House fire

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A second man has been charged in connection to a fire set inside the historic Market House on Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville during George Floyd protests.

On May 30, demonstrators gathered in front of the building, where slaves were once sold, to demand justice for Floyd, who died after former Minneapolis Police Department officer Derek Chauvin kneeled on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. During the protest, the Market House was set ablaze.

After being released from the hospital because of burn injuries, Andrew Garcia-Smith, 32, of Fayetteville, was arrested and charged with one count of maliciously damaging property owned or possessed by an institution receiving federal financial assistance.

According to the Department of Justice, several people set fire to the Market House. A Facebook Live video showed Garcia-Smith picking up a bottle of liquid and throwing it into the Market House's door. A portion of the burning liquid spilled back onto him, causing his hair and clothes to catch on fire.

Garcia-Smith faces up to a minimum of seven years and a maximum of 40 years in prison with a maximum fine of $250,000.

Last week, Charles Anthony Pittman was charged after video showed him pouring the contents of a red gasoline canister throughout the building's second floor.