A 19-year-old Grand Canyon University student is currently facing arson charges following a pair of fires that erupted on campus last Sunday. Identified as Jacob Jarvis, the student was apprehended and now sits in a Maricopa County jail on a $25,000 bond, as reported by AZCentral.
The incident, occurring at the Agave Apartments on the GCU campus, saw two individual fires igniting a sofa and flyers taped to a dormitory door. Court documents indicated that the blazes, which were quickly deemed "suspicious", left some 24 students without rooms, forcing the university to rehome them. According to a statement obtained by FOX 10 Phoenix, there was significant water and fire damage, with estimates of cost hovering around $50,000, though no injuries were reported.
Witnesses reportedly observed Jarvis entering his room shortly after smoke was detected. Delving into the details of the occurrence, the authorities discovered the lighter believed to have been used in the act discarded in a trash can on the premises. In a police interview, Jarvis has admitted to starting the fires explaining that he suffers from Asperger syndrome and was experiencing stress due to being off his medications, as recounted in court documents quoted by both AZCentral and FOX 10 Phoenix.
The incident, while contained with no reported injuries, underscores the potential hazards of untreated mental health issues. It further puts into stark light the quick response and evacuation protocols of Grand Canyon University, which acted swiftly in relocating the affected students. Jarvis, originally from Washington state, awaits his next hearing scheduled for November 5. The students, having smelled smoke coming from the hallway, were inside their dorm room during the onset of the incident.
