Police Seeking Suspect After String Of Arsons In Mpls
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Police are asking for the public's help to find an arsonist in Minneapolis.
According to Minneapolis Police, five fires have been intentionally set in the Phillips neighborhood since Oct. 30, with the most recent occuring on Monday.
The neighborhood borders Interstate 94, Hiawatha Avenue, Highway 35W, and Lake Street.
There are roughly 100 arson fires in the city of Minneapolis every year, but rarely are they as repetitive and isolated as the recent cases in this neighborhood.
"That's kind of scary," Gary Comstock, who lives in the Phillips neighborhood, said. "Setting cars and garages on fir, that's pretty serious."
"Amongst the items that were set on fire were two vehicles, a ceremonial sweat lodge and two garages," Minneapolis Police Arson Squad Sgt. Sean McKenna said.
Surveillance video from an American Indian community development center in the 1600 block of 19th Street shows a person walking into a sweat lodge and then coming back out. Moments later there are visible flames that eventually engulf the structure.
"That surprises me," Comstock said. "I usually don't think of this neighborhood as that much going on."
Investigators aren't sure if the fires were started by more than one person. So far no one has been injured.
Police want to catch the person, or people, responsible before they turn into more serious cases.
"The concern is that right now the fires are minor, they're to unattended vehicles, hopefully vacant garages, but if a person goes unchecked in their behavior we fear it could escalate to occupied structures," McKenna said.
Police are recommending people in that neighborhood be sure to lock their vehicles as both of the cars set on fire had been unlocked.
Anyone with information about these fires you should call Minneapolis Police.
