Suspect caught on camera pouring gasoline, starting fire inside Huntington Place
The Detroit Police Department is working to track down a person caught on camera setting fire inside Huntington Place last week.
Police say shortly before 9 a.m. on April 28, a man can be seen entering the first floor of Huntington Place. He pulls three water bottles believed to contain gasoline from a bag and splashes the liquid in all directions across the carpet.
The video then shows him walking toward an exit, throwing something on the floor that ignites a fire and leaving the area.
Huntington Place security immediately responded to the scene and put out the blaze with fire extinguishers.
"Damage was not extensive. It was kind of localized to that area where he distributed gasoline, and it was pretty much isolated to the carpeting," said Detroit Fire Investigation Division Chief Dennis Richardson.
The man was seen on security images wearing all black clothing and a gray mask. His backpack was black, with several white logos.
"Detroit Police are actively seeking information to his identity and where he may be located currently. We don't have any information to suggest that this individual has done this other than this one instance," Richardson said.
Police said a reward will be offered for information that leads to an arrest. Tips can be made to the Detroit Police Department's Fire Investigation Division at 313-596-2940, the department's arson tip line at 313-628-2900, or arsontips@detroitmi.gov, or to Crime Stoppers of Michigan at 800-SPEAK-UP.
Huntington Place issued the following statement regarding the incident:
Huntington Place maintains a strong and collaborative relationship with the Detroit Police Department and the Detroit Fire Department, including the Fire Investigation Division, which is currently leading the investigation into an incident that occurred on April 28 at the convention center.
Huntington Place responded immediately and addressed the action effectively. There was no impact to guests, staff, or scheduled events.
As a public facility, Huntington Place is deeply committed to safety and maintains 24/7/365 security operations to support a safe and secure environment for all visitors.
The Huntington Place convention center in downtown Detroit, formerly known as Cobo Hall, is a venue that welcomes over a million visitors a year for events such as the Detroit Auto Show.