Kenosha police release surveillance images of persons of interest in arson investigations
KENOSHA, Wis. (WLS) -- Federal authorities are trying to solve 20 building fires set in Kenosha and seven vehicle fires during the days of street violence. Now, agents from the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Chicago are trying to identify them some of the people they believe are responsible for those arsons.
"We are asking the public to look at these videos and look at these images, see if they recognize anyone, see if they recognize any tattoos pieces of clothing, and then call us and let us know, the information that they have.," said Kristin deTineo, Special Agent in Charge, ATF-Chicago.
The special agent in charge of ATF/Chicago tonight with a public plea to put names with faces after their investigative tools -- such as facial recognition -- apparently haven't worked-and now they need public recognition.
"We have used all the available technology we have to see what we can do to identify these people, and this is why we are now asking for further help from the community," deTineo told the I-Team.
A federal arson conviction carries a minimum five-year prison sentence.
"Kenosha PD has told us that many of the arrests they have made in their area over the past week, have been people from outside of the area, which is why it is so important that we distribute these images as widely as possible so that we can ensure that we locate them and send that message that you can't just come into other people's towns and create destruction and devastation and feel that you can go home and get away with it," deTineo told the I-Team.
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Kenosha police, in conjunction with the ATF National Response Team, released images of persons of interest in the following investigations:
Arson at B&L Furniture in the 1100-block of 60th Street on Aug. 24:
Arson at TCF Bank in the 1800-block of 63rd Street on Aug. 24:
Arson at H&R Block in the 6100-block of 22nd Avenue on Aug. 24:
Multiple arsons around Kenosha on Aug. 24:
Arson at the Kensoha Probation and Parole building on Aug. 24:
Police also released video of person of interest in the Probation and Parole fire, as well as a Kenosha garbage truck fire and an arson at Car Source in the 6200-block of Sheridan Road.
Buildings and cars were burned during the overnight hours after protests about the police shooting of 29-year-old Jacob Blake, an unarmed Black man who was shot seven times in the back in front of his children on Sunday.
Blake remains hospitalized and is now paralyzed from the waist down, according to his family.
If you have any information about these persons of interest, contact the Kenosha Police Department at 262-605-5203, Kenosha CrimeStoppers at 262-656-7333 or the ATF at 1-888-ATF-FIRE. Emailed tips may be sent to ATFTips@atf.gov.
