3 young teens arrested for torching historic homes in Morrow's 'The District'

MORROW, Ga. - Three young teens were arrested Wednesday evening for the ""suspicious" fires that destroyed three historic buildings in Morrow over the weekend.

A 15-year-old boy and two 14-year-old boys were taken into custody at their Clayton County home. All three were charged with arson, burglary, criminal interference with government property, criminal damage to property, and criminal trespass.

Historic homes torched in Morrow’s ‘The District’

Morrow Interim Police Chief David Snively said vandals have previously targeted Morrow's historic downtown, known as "The District."

"This is a case solved by old-fashioned police work and close community partnerships" said Chief Snively. "After confirming the fire was arson, investigators from the Morrow Police Department, Morrow Fire Department, and our state and federal partners painstakingly walked the community to meet with witnesses and review digital evidence; those efforts ultimately led to the arrest of these three offenders."

The buildings burned down late Friday evening or early Saturday. First responders shared video of flames reaching about 20 feet high. State fire investigators were there, Georgia Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John King said. Fire investigators even brought in specially trained K-9s to investigate the scene. The fires were "considered suspicious."

"We are extremely grateful for the support of Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner John King and his Fire Investigation Unit, and for the assistance of the ATF" said Morrow Fire Chief Roger Swint. "Their close collaboration allowed us to quickly confirm the cause of the fire and narrow the focus of the criminal investigation."

A Morrow Fire Department spokesperson said details at the scene indicated the cause of the fires may have been arson. Investigators believe the speed and intensity of the fire points to fires being set intentionally. By the time firefighters arrived, officials said three homes were fully engulfed in flames.

"We are grateful for the hard work of our talented team of investigators, and glad to quickly close this painful chapter in our city history. Morrow is will remain a place where residents gather and live in safety, and we look forward to quickly resuming our progress to re-vitalize this important downtown district," said Morrow City Manager Jeff Baker.

All three teens were taken to the Regional Youth Detention Center where they are expected to stay for the immediate future. Despite facing four felony charges each, their names were not released due to their age.

"The tremendous grief suffered by our community since Saturday can be somewhat resolved with the knowledge that the suspects in this case have been identified and apprehended. I am extremely proud of the tireless efforts of Morrow Police detectives and fire investigators to close this case and begin the process of healing our community," said Mayor John Lampl.

Prayer vigil to be held for ‘The District’ in Morrow

There is a planned vigil this Saturday in the "The District," which is a cluster of historic homes in downtown Morrow. It will be held at 9 a.m. at 1063 Olde Towne Morrow Road. The public is welcome to attend.

The area between Southlake Mall and Interstate 75 was previously known as Olde Towne Morrow. The city transported homes that dated back to the 1800s into the area. One structure, the Napier-Small house, was built in 1846 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Snively said some homes were purchased for as much as $1.

Businesses moved from the area, and it fell into disrepair. Since then, the city has redeveloped the area and brought some events to the area to revitalize it.

Now, a handful of businesses are planning to move into the area. The fires created a setback to filling the long-vacant spaces, but the first few tenants could still move into undamaged buildings in a few weeks.

Memories and old photos are also being shared online using the hashtag #OneMorrow.