Teens Arrested In San Jose School Arson Fire
SAN JOSE (KCBS/BCN) - Two teenage boys were arrested this week in connection with a July fire that caused $10 million in damage to San Jose's Trace Elementary School, fire officials announced Thursday.
KCBS' Margie Shafer Reports:
One boy is 17-years-old, and the other's age has not been released. Both are San Jose residents and are being held at juvenile hall, San Jose Fire Marshal Ivan Lee said.
One boy was arrested Tuesday night and the other was arrested Wednesday morning.
Lee said both boys are students but was unsure which school they attend. He said neither had attended Trace Elementary School, where the fire occurred July 5.
The motive for the arson remains under investigation. Lee acknowledged speculation that the motive may have been gang-related but said that has not been determined yet.
Tips and forensic evidence led to the teens' arrest, Lee said.
Lee said he believed he number of leads received in the
investigation was buoyed by the rewards offered: $5,000 from the San Jose Unified School District and $10,000 from the fire department.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case, spokeswoman Amy Cornell said.
The fire investigation was a multi-agency collaborative effort that included the San Jose Fire Department, San Jose Police Department, Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, and the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office, Fire Chief William McDonald said.
The fire destroyed 16 classrooms, the school's library and administrative offices. The school was able to open on schedule in September using portable classrooms.
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