Police credit Live911 system with quick arrest of Target arson suspect

BROOKHAVEN, Ga. — Police are telling us how a man set fire to a local Target store.

Investigators told Channel 2′s Audrey Washington that the suspect simply walked inside the store Thursday, took something flammable, and set it on fire inside a fitting room.

Shopper Derick Royston said he still can’t believe it happened.

“That’s very scary,” Royston said. “Obviously he was upset, and he wanted to hurt a lot of people.”

Brookhaven police say Fonzail Lorenzo Woods Jr., 29, walked inside the Target on North Druid Hills Road and set it on fire.

The employees knocked down the flames quickly and no one was hurt.

Friday morning, Washington went back to the store and found caution tape surrounding the fitting room area.

“Makes me not even want to shop here,” Royston said.

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Police Sgt. Jacob Kissel said officers were first alerted about the fire through their Live911 system.

“Very dangerous. Imagine if this fire had gotten out of hand,” Kissel said.

He said officers got to the scene and arrested Woods within minutes.

“Our patrol officers are able to hear emergency calls coming into the dispatch center prior to being dispatched,” Kissel said.

Last August, Channel 2 Action News reported on the fire that broke out inside a Peachtree City Walmart.

Police charged a 14-year-old girl with that arson.

Then, there were three more arson cases: One at a Southwest Atlanta Walmart, another at a Northwest Atlanta Walmart, and a third arson at the Target on Piedmont Road.

Washington asked police if the arsons are in any way connected.

“We’re looking deeper into the issue to see if we can make any links or tie anything together,” Kissel said.

Woods faces some serious charges, including felony arson and obstruction.

RELATED NEWS:

Suspected arsonist arrested after allegedly setting fire inside metro Target changing room Firefighters were called out to the Druid Hills location shortly after 1:15 p.m. Thursday for reports of the fire.

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