DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — As the future site of the City of Atlanta Public Safety Training Center continues to be met with opposition, the controversial piece of land is also leading to a lot of questions.
One of those questions is about fires at a nearby home development on Bouldercrest Road.
THE QUESTION
Have there been fires at the home development property on Bouldercrest Road and, if so, were they intentionally set?
SOURCES
THE ANSWER
Part of it is true, the other part needs context.
WHAT WE FOUND
There are new developments being built on Bouldercrest Road, not far from the controversial soon-to-be police training facility referred to as 'Cop City' by protestors.
The subdivision's sign, Eastside Parc, is still present. However, two homes that were under construction, are not.
Mark Bolden, who is the president of a homeowner's association nearby, told 11Alive earlier this week about the fires.
"There's four new homes under construction and new developments," he said. "Two were burned down to the ground."
A DeKalb Fire incident report shows firefighters were sent on Dec. 10 to a small, outside fire in an area they believe protesters had gathered.
From there, firefighters were sent to the development on Bouldercrest Road, where two under constructions homes were on fire.
Nearby residents, like Bolden, believe the fires could be tied back to 'Cop City' protesters.
"No one was arrested because they had to determine that it was truly arson," Bolden continued.
In the incident report, the fire department mentions that "it is believed due to the close proximity to the protesters that they may be involved."
However, the case is still open, and the fires haven't been officially linked to any person or group of people. As of today, no one is charged with a crime.
So while we can verify there were two separate fires inside the Eastside Parc subdivision that is currently under construction, DeKalb Fire is still trying to investigate if it was arson.