ATLANTA — Local and federal agents are working to find out who lit an Atlanta Police Department patrol car on fire Saturday morning.
The police department said a call came in around 3:51 a.m. to Greendale Drive, NE, regarding a car on fire. When officers arrived, they saw a marked APD car up in flames in front of an officer's home.
On Saturday night, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum said through help from the public who sent in their videos for evidence, they were able to develop probable cause that two suspected arsonists involved ran to a home along Harper Road SE after they allegedly set the car on fire.
Schierbaum said the Atlanta Police Apex Unit executed the search warrant on the home in addition to investigators with the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the secret service and the State of Georgia Arson Control Board. U.S. Homeland Security was also notified and came out to investigate the situation.
The APD chief said a person of interest was developed after the search warrant was executed, and that person is now wanted for questioning. Schierbaum said they are very familiar with one person of interest they believe may be involved with in this case.
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PHOTOS | Atlanta Police car set on fire
"We are not going to allow as a police department or law enforcement community (for) this city to be held hostage to fear and intimidation through fire," Schierbaum said. "In the last 72 hours, we have served four search warrants, collecting evidence on a series of fires that took place. And on Thursday morning, we took into custody an individual we believe and have alleged to be a key participant of those arsons."
Schierbaum added, "The citizens of Atlanta -- they are residents of a first-class city -- and they deserve and should expect first-class first responders of their fire and police department. And an attempt to use fire to incite fear to stop the building of a training center that is vital to us being a first-class city protected by first-class first responders will fail. And the citizens should know that. And this very small group that has committed these fires are being held accountable. We have been in their homes. We are collecting evidence. And while we have one arrest, other arrests are coming."
Police worked with Atlanta Fire and Rescue Department to extinguish the fire and said no one was hurt. Atlanta Police released bodycam footage of the patrol car on fire and officers extinguishing the blaze overnight, including some audio of the 911 call.
This is a developing story. Check back often for new information.
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