Arrest made in connection with arson fire at the old Liberal High School

(From the Barton County Sheriff's Office)

On 09-22-2019 the Barton County 911 Center received several calls at approximately 10:16 pm of a possible fire at the Liberal School.

Numerous emergency agencies responded to the scene to discover the old High School and gymnasium was fully engulfed.

During the fire mutual aid was requested and fire agencies from Lamar, Nevada, and Pittsburg Fire Departments responded to assist the Liberal Fire Department in putting the fire out.

Deputies from the Sheriff’s Office and the Liberal Police Chief responded to the scene and started investigating and interviewing people. The State Fire Marshal also responded from Springfield to assist in the investigation.

During the investigation, leads obtained led deputies to a residence on Hill Street in Liberal. 

With the assistance of the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office the home was surrounded and two subjects were called out from the home. 

A third subject was later located inside the home after an hour long standoff and was arrested on unrelated criminal charges.

The two subjects detained from the residence on Hill Street were questioned and then later released from the Barton County Sheriff’s Office.

After interviews were conducted further leads led to a subject that resided on Yale Street in Liberal. That subject a 27 year of age male was brought to the Sheriff’s Office for questioning. During the questioning enough information was obtained to send a probable cause statement to the Barton County Prosecutor on the criminal charges of Burglary and Arson. At approximately 2:00 p.m. that subject was arrested and placed on a 24 hour hold for investigation.

At approximately 3:12 p.m. Law Enforcement from the Fire Marshal Office and the Barton County Sheriff’s Office went to a residence on College Street and took a 24 year of age male into custody also for the criminal charges of Arson and Burglary.

The names of the two subjects are not being released at this time awaiting formal filing of criminal charges.

(Screenshot from Joplin News First)