Investigation continues; no arrests made yet, police chief says
DeKALB – DeShun Watkins, 27, opened the door to his 808 Ridge Drive apartment from inside after hearing a fire alarm at about 5 a.m. Friday morning, where he discovered that someone lit his doormat on fire in the hallway.
Watkins said he and his family moved into the building in January, weeks after police say a DeKalb woman started an apartment on fire. LINK. On Wednesday, he helped people escape from windows after fires were set in the building.
Watkins said said he doesn't know who might be behind the latest arson spree in the three-level Ridgebrook apartment building, but he hopes the case is solved soon. Like other residents of the apartment complex, which includes families with children, the recent fires have Watkins on edge.
"It's just frightening," Watkins said Sunday.
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(CAPTION: Resident DeShun Watkins, 27, talks about recent fires at an apartment building at 808 Ridge Drive in DeKalb.)
DeKalb police said in a Saturday news release that said two fires were set in common areas of the building on Friday morning, and others were attempted. One of the fires apparently was set while emergency personnel were at the scene, the release said.
DeKalb Police Chief Gene Lowery said Sunday that no arrests had been made in connection with the most recent fires. He said he couldn't comment on potential suspects because police are at a critical point where sharing that information might jeopardize the investigation.
"The investigation is ongoing and will be ongoing through the weekend," Chief Lowery said.
(CAPTION: Employees of Hunter Properties stop anyone approaching a door of a building at 808 Ridge Drive in DeKalb. Added security measures were added in response to recent arson fires.)
The DeKalb Fire Department, the State Fire Marshal, DeKalb Police and the DeKalb County Major Case Squad are all involved in the investigation, police said in the release.
Police said the Friday fires at the Ridgebrook building began around the same time of day as a Wednesday blaze that caused extensive damage and left eight apartments uninhabitable. It was the third case of arson at the complex this year.
Fire personnel inspected all areas of the building and identified multiple points of attempted ignition in other hallway locations after the first of Friday morning's fires was extinguished by a resident.
While police and fire personnel conducted their investigation into the doormat fire, a second smoke alarm in the building was activated after a small fire was started in the hallway. The second fire is believed to have been ignited while police and fire personnel were present, according to the police news release.
The suspect in the first intentionally set fire this year has a clear alibi for the recent fires – she's been held at DeKalb County Jail for months on $100,000 bond.
Chikyta Williams of DeKalb is accused of aggravated arson in connection with a January fire that was set in an apartment at the complex. Prosecutors allege Williams started the fire because she was distraught over a breakup.
Shantele Clark, 37, said she moved into her apartment at Ridgebrook a couple of months ago.
She said management told residents to remove welcome mats from outside of their doors after the recent fires.
Clark said she feels discouraged, since she doesn't know if the fires were started by a current neighbor, a former resident, or a visitor. She said she hopes police find out who's behind the arson for the sake of current residents, children included.
"Someone's lost their mind," Clark said.
Jorrell Lowery, 37, (above) said he has lived in the complex for a few years. He said residents were told by management that outside door locks would be changed soon and that they will get new keys, but he knows residents leave the outside door propped open sometimes for visitors or because they don't want to pay for a copy of an outside door key.
"I want to be able to go out looking for a job and not be worried about home," Jorrell Lowery said. Ridgebrook residents said they are only able to enter the building from one entrance out of four in the building after the fires. They said there has been security at building entrances around the clock requiring residents and visitors to sign in upon entry.
Watkins said he had to walk all the way around the building to take out the trash after Wednesday's fire due to the new security measures.
"But it's worth it," Watkins said. "Knowing my kids are safe, it's worth it."
DeKalb Police Chief Eugene Lowery also said in a written statement Saturday that it's important for rental property owners to do whatever they can to ensure the safety of their tenants, including having a functional video camera system, appropriate fire control and alarm systems, a structurally safe environment and to cooperate with local authorities.
The building at 808 Ridge Drive, which has studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom and four-bedroom apartments, is equipped with a security camera system, "but the system has been inoperable since the property was acquired by Hunter Properties," according to the police news release. The city has requested that Hunter Properties re-activate the cameras, and install cameras at their other properties in the city.
Hunter Properties will implement security cameras at 808 Ridge Drive within the next several days, according to the police news release. Management and staff from the property company declined comment on Sunday, but staff were posted at the entry to the building on Sunday.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation are encouraged to contact the DeKalb Police Department at 815-748-8400 or Crime Stoppers at 815-895-3272, or by email at crimestoppers@dekalbcounty.org. Callers to CrimeStoppers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward if information provided leads to an arrest.