On 10/30/11, just shortly before 12:00 p.m., officers responded with Seattle Fire to a call of a house fire, in the 3500 block of S. Austin St. The witness/caller saw a male run from the side yard of the house and disappear into the backyard.
Preliminary investigation shows that a burglar entered the house, ransacked it and then set a stack of papers on the kitchen stove and turned the burners on.
The witness described the man seen running away from the burning house as a light skin black male, 17-19 years old, 6′ 1 tall, 160 pounds, wearing all black.
Seattle Fire Arson Bomb unit responded along with Fire Investigators, and processed the scene.
At this point it is unknown if the man seen running from the house started the fire. No one was home at the time of the fire. This is an open and active investigation.