16-Year-Old Arson Suspect Connected to Lubbock Apt. Complex Fire Turns Himself In

LUBBOCK, TX — Lubbock Fire Rescue officials are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect believed to have intentionally started a fire near an apartment complex on Wednesday afternoon, April 8.

Fire crews responded around 4 p.m. to a 911 call reporting a fire near the 2300 block of West Loop 289. Upon arrival, crews encountered heavy smoke coming from the rear of the complex.

Officials said firefighters were able to quickly contain and extinguish the blaze before it spread to nearby buildings. The fire was limited to a patch of grass and a fence line, preventing damage to the apartment complex and surrounding residences.

Investigators with the Fire Marshal’s Office reviewed surveillance footage that appears to show an individual igniting the grass before fleeing the scene.

A 16-year-old male turned himself in to his attorney and with her assistance, the juvenile was taken into custody at the Lubbock County Juvenile Justice Center on Monday morning without incident. This individual will be charged with Arson, a 1st Degree Felony.