COLUMBUS – Authorities have arrested a juvenile they say set two fires within 24 hours of each other at a Northwest Side apartment complex this week, resulting in at least one minor injury.
Meanwhile, a 15-year-old boy is facing charges after bringing a gun into a Columbus high school and fighting with security personnel.
Firefighters called to the Sawmill Village Apartments at approximately 9:55 a.m. Tuesday rescued two adults, two children, two dogs and a cat from the upper floor of a building, according to Columbus Division of Fire spokesman Battalion Chief Steve Martin.
When firefighters arrived at the scene, Martin says heavy flames were showing through the roof and out of doors and windows and bystanders reported victims being trapped on the third floor on both the front and rear of the building.
Firefighters were able to get ladders extended and rescued the people and animals.
One adult who breathed in smoke from the fire was taken to OSU Wexner Medical Center in stable condition to be evaluated, Martin said.
Investigators received several tips from residents and determined the fire was related to another blaze in the same apartment complex that occurred less than 24 hours earlier, Martin said.
A juvenile who was identified and questioned on Thursday admitted to setting both fires and was taken into on arson charges in connection with each of the incidents, Martin said.
Teen arrested for bringing gun to school
Police arrested a 15-year-old boy who they say brought a gun to Briggs High School on Thursday and fought with security personnel trying to search his backpack for the weapon.
School officials were told by other students that the teen was bragging about having a handgun in his backpack, but when security staff tried to search the backpack, the boy did not cooperate and began to fight over the backpack with the security officer, prompting the call to Columbus police, who arrived on the scene and met with the school personnel who had the student detained in the office with his backpack.
During a search, police found a loaded Taurus, .45 caliber semiautomatic pistol inside the backpack, according to detectives with the Columbus police Gun Crimes Unit.
The weapon’s chamber empty but police found eight live rounds of ammunition loaded into the gun’s magazine and an extended magazine, which was also recovered from the bag loaded with nineteen rounds of .40 caliber ammunition, police said.
The juvenile suspect was charged with carrying concealed weapons and conveying a firearm into a school safety zone, police said.