Man Uses Blowtorch to Burn Homeowner’s American Flag
Police and arson investigators are searching for a man caught on camera setting fire to an American flag hanging outside a Detroit home, a pre-dawn attack that neighbors say could have turned deadly. Be sure to click here to get my breaking news alerts delivered to your inbox.
The flag had been placed outside the Green Acres neighborhood home of John Brodersen and his wife, Daniela Braun, just days before Independence Day as the nation marked its 250th birthday, FOX 2 Detroit reported. Surveillance images published by the station show a man walking up to the home around midnight and using what appeared to be a handheld blowtorch-style device to ignite the flag. Within moments, the Stars and Stripes were engulfed in flames.
“I just couldn’t believe it. We’ve lived in this neighborhood for ten years. You know, nothing happens. We just set it up a few days ago. Celebration, 250 years, Fourth of July. I’m like, it’s a pretty big deal. Let’s set up a flag,” Braun told FOX 2 Detroit. “Who knows what could have happened if it wasn’t for the neighbors banging on the door.”
The fire was spotted after a man riding a bicycle reportedly sounded an air horn to alert the neighborhood. Neighbor Steve Harmon, who had recently moved in across the street, said the commotion woke him up.
“Somebody kept blowing an air horn, and I’m like, ‘Who the hell is that this time of morning?’ And I looked out the window and the whole front of his house is lit up orange. Then I notice it’s all on fire,” Harmon said.
Harmon called 911 and ran to the home, fearing the couple might still be asleep inside as flames spread near the front of the house.
“I didn’t want to break the window, but I was going to break the window to get them up,” he said. “The fire was getting really big. Pretty soon John came, and he opened the door and his face just lit up because it was just fire everywhere.”
Brodersen said he grabbed a fire extinguisher and put out the flames before firefighters arrived. “We see flames. I went and grabbed the fire extinguisher, put it out, and a few moments later the fire department showed up,” he said. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Police and arson investigators are asking anyone who recognizes the suspect or has additional information to call the Detroit Police Department.
“I couldn’t believe somebody would do something like that, but luckily they were stupid and we’ve got their face,” Brodersen said.
Harmon said the attack could have destroyed the house. “It’s just a crazy world. You don’t just set somebody’s house on fire. That could have got really, really bad,” he said. “If I wouldn’t have woke up, who knows how long that fire would have burned? It probably could have destroyed the house.”
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