The Ferguson church where Michael Brown Sr. was baptized this past weekend was set on fire during protests in the city Monday night. Rev. Carlton Lee told NBC News he suspects his church was targeted because of his vocal support of the Brown family and his repeated calling for Darren Wilson's arrest.

From NBC News:

The pastor said he doubted the same people who were raging on the other end of West Florissant had burned his church. Instead, he said, he suspected white supremacists who wanted to punish him for his support of the Brown family, who had just been baptized there.

"Sunday, we do the baptism, Monday, the church is one fire. It just doesn't add up," he said.

Lee said police told him about the church late Monday night.

"I feel like one of my children has died," he said. "I put my blood, my sweat, my tears into this church, getting this church built from the ground up. To see that it was taken down in a few minutes is really heartbreaking."

Brown Sr., Lee said, "was just devastated again" after hearing about the church Tuesday afternoon.

[Photo of Michael Brown Sr. via AP]