Tempe Police reported the following on Wednesday:
A juvenile was arrested May 15 on the 7000 block of South Priest Drive on suspicion of endangerment, aggravated criminal damage, arson of an occupied structure and interference with use of an educational structure, according to a police report.
The boy was arrested after an arson investigation at Marcos de Niza High School revealed that he started a fire in the men’s restroom of the 400 building, police reported. The building houses the school’s driver education department and residence of an on-site officer, police reported.
Tempe Police and the fire department responded to the fire alarm that went off at the school and when they arrived the saw that the fire sprinklers and suppression system in the bathroom extinguished the fire, police reported.
However, the bathroom had significant damages from both the water and fire, requiring repairs before its reopening, according to the report.
The video surveillance of that area was reviewed and a camera outside the bathroom recorded the boy walking out of the restroom prior to smoke being seen, police reported.
When he was read his Miranda rights and question he admitted to starting the fire with a lighter he found, saying he didn’t believe it would cause much damage and it would burn itself out, police reported.
Because of the fire classrooms were evacuated and the school was reportedly disrupted, according to the report. Additionally, the security officer was in his residence when the fire started, causing him to be endangered as well, police reported.
He was transported to Tempe City Jail, where he was booked and held to see a judge, according to the report.
Reports compiled by Megan Janetsky.
Reach the reporter at megan.janetsky@asu.edu or follow @meganjanetsky on Twitter.
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