On the evening of December 8th, the Austin Fire Department swiftly responded to a reported bedroom fire at an apartment complex on 10010 N Capital of Texas Highway SB, an incident that later revealed a darker motive behind the flames as per the details. The blaze, quelled by the building's safety systems, became a stage uncovering one man's drastic bid for attention, reported by the City of Austin.

It was around 8:33 p.m. when the alarm rang out and firefighters rushed to the scene alongside Austin Police Department personnel who were already present for a welfare check the firefighting crews finished dousing what lingered of the fire, they reset the complex’s sprinkler system upon the investigation that followed; firefighters processed the scene and later obtained a confession from the occupant, Steve Manor, verifying his attempt to set the blaze on purpose with the intent to draw out a response from local authorities.

Following his admission backed by physical evidence at the scene, 55-year-old Manor found himself handcuffed and charged with arson, which in Texas is a state jail felony. The Austin Fire Department confirmed that he was taken to Travis County Jail and his bond was posted at $15,000. The aftermath of Manor's actions amounted to an estimated $12,000 worth of property and content damage which in stark financial terms, sets the cost of his desperate call for attention. The reason behind Manor's decision to start the fire remains unclear.