RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A man is on the loose, accused of trying to trap a woman in an apartment and then setting it on fire. He’s now wanted for arson attempted murder out of Richmond.
“To hear what happened is just unbelievable,” said Robert King, who lives near where the fire happened.
Police say 22-year-old Brandon Brown shoved a female acquaintance into her room jammed the door closed and then set the apartment a blaze by setting a mattress and box spring on fire.
“He used enough force to take that wooden door and push it into the frame, thus kind of jamming it in there,” said Lieutenant Andre Roberts, a fire investigator with the Richmond Fire Department.
The victim, trapped inside and to make matters worse police say Brown made sure no one would know anything was wrong.
“The smoke detector was disabled as well in order to I guess mask the fact that there was a fire,” said Roberts.
Now, police need your help finding Brown. They say he is known to visit several places in the city.
“Mr. Brown is known to frequent Southwood Apartments that runs off of Clarkson and Southwood. Also, Maury Street there is an apartment complex called Southgate,” said Roberts.
In the meantime, neighbors say they will be on edge.
“Nothing happens like this in this neck of the woods,” said King.
Thankfully that woman was not hurt, she was able to break free from that jammed door.
If you know anything or can help locate Brandon Brown, call Crime Stoppers immediately at 804-780-1000.
Stay with 8News for more information on this developing story.
