A suspect was arrested on an arson complaint Wednesday after two people experiencing homelessness in Oklahoma City were intentionally set on fire while they were asleep.
The Oklahoma City Police Department said a 911 call was made around 6:50 a.m. on Tuesday that someone was on fire.
“It was two people being set on fire, possibly sleeping behind the business when another person walked up to them and intentionally set them on fire,” master sergeant Gary Knight said.
A witness who lives next door to the crime scene told KOCO 5 he found a woman on fire and helped her before helping a man extinguish flames on his arms and legs.
“I was taking trash to the curb and saw the young lady just from the waist up on fire. Stuff you see on TV. I never seen something like that in my life,” Cory Spencer told the station. “I took and put her in the shower. She turned the shower on herself and then got the fire out. Came out and sat on the couch and asked for some water.”
Both victims were seriously injured and taken to a local burn center. The woman is in critical condition, but the man is expected to be OK.
Their names and ages were not released.
Police believe the suspect, later determined to be a 70-year-old man, may have used an accelerant. He was arrested on multiple complaints, including first-degree arson, but formal charges have not been filed.
He was identified as Michael Madison, according to KFOR News.
