A man is in custody after what police described as an early-morning arson that damaged a home and at least one vehicle near Grand Avenue and Greenway Road in Surprise. According to officials, a caller told dispatch that her ex-boyfriend was on the property setting fires, and officers arrested a suspect at the scene. Everyone inside was evacuated safely and no injuries were reported as crews worked into the morning to process the scene and collect evidence.
As reported by ABC15 Arizona, emergency crews were called to the home around 3 a.m. Thursday. That account states the caller identified her ex-boyfriend as the person setting the house and vehicles on fire and that the suspect was taken into custody when officers arrived. ABC15 also noted that no further details were immediately available while arson teams remained on scene.
Federal and local arson teams on scene
Officials said Surprise Fire-Medical Department arson investigators and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were part of the response. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives says it handles explosives and arson enforcement in Arizona and can provide technical scene support and evidence analysis. The city's Fire-Medical landing page outlines local arson-investigation and response functions that augment police work on suspicious blazes.
Potential charges and next steps
Being in custody does not necessarily mean charges have been filed, and police say additional details will come after the investigation is completed and forwarded to prosecutors. Under Arizona law, arson of an occupied structure is a class 2 felony, a serious charge prosecutors can bring when someone knowingly causes a fire to a building, according to state statute. How prosecutors ultimately classify any case will depend on evidence of intent, whether people were or could have been present, and the extent of property damage documented by investigators.
Investigators ask for tips
Neighbors were evacuated as a precaution and allowed to return once crews cleared the scene, police said. Investigators asked anyone with information, photos, or video to contact the Surprise Police Department through the city's public safety pages or the department's tip channels listed on the city site. Authorities said they plan to release more details as detectives continue their work on the case.
