August 29, 2002

PRESS RELEASE
To: Newsroom
For Immediate Release
Contact: Brian A. Crawford, Public Information Officer
Phone: 673-6652, cell: 455-2609, page: 675-2137

Fire Investigators Arrest Woman Following Morning Apartment Fire

Shreveport Fire investigators arrested a 17-year old woman and charged her with aggravated arson following an apartment fire this morning in Shreveport . . .

Firefighters responded to the Northwood Lake Apartments just before 9:50 a.m. to find smoke coming from apartment 815. When crews entered the one-bedroom residence, they found fire coming from a bathroom and hallway. It took firefighters about 10 minutes to contain the blaze. No injuries were reportes.

After questioning one of the apartment’s occupants, fire investigators charged Kenisha Walker with intentionally setting the fire. According to fire officials, Walker placed linen from the bedroom in the bathtub and after pouring a flammable substance over them, set them on fire. The incident was apparently sparked by a domestic dispute Walker had with her boyfriend, also a resident of the apartment, who was not home at the time of the fire. However, there was another unidentified female in the apartment at the time of the fire, which upgraded the charges from simple to the more serious aggravated arson. Both felony offences, the aggravated arson charge carries a maximum sentence of 25 years and a $5,000 fine. Walker was booked into Caddo Correctional Center. ###