Apartment building remolded nearly a year after deadly fire; residents remember fatal night
An investigation into the Aug. 13 fire on the 1500 block of 11th Avenue South revealed the cause to be "incendiary/intentional," according to the Minneapolis Fire Department.
Responding crews found a fire on the third floor of the building and set to work rescuing residents inside. Two days after the fire, following multiple sweeps by the department, a man and a woman were found dead inside. The additional search was prompted by the property manager, who told investigators he hadn't seen one of his tenants since the fire.
A woman is accused of intentionally setting a downtown Minneapolis apartment on fire last August, killing two people, according to a criminal complaint filed in Hennepin County.
The 35-year-old woman from Minneapolis was charged with two felony counts of second-degree murder and three counts of first-degree arson
Now, the 22-unit building is remodeled and fully occupied and equipped with a sprinkler system—something property manager David Hollman says the building did not have the night of the deadly fire.
"Now, that everything has been upgraded we have a sprinkler system throughout the building," Hollman smiled.
Tenants who now call it home say the remodel is beautiful but it's hard to forget what happened.
"I believe if the sprinkler system would have saved lives for sure," said Jason Roers.
Hollmon says he still thinks about Mr. Kerry and remembers him as respectable guy who everybody loved.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Harvey Willgoose mother says son's murderer needs to be ‘made an example of'
The mother of Harvey Willgoose has said she feels sorry for the teenager who stabbed her son to death at their school, saying she believes he was 'let down', like her son. But Caroline Willgoose said she also believes the 15-year-old – who was found guilty last week of murdering Harvey, also 15, with a hunting knife at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield – needs to be 'made an example of' when he is sentenced in October. Appearing on ITV's Good Morning Britain on Monday, Mrs Willgoose was asked by Richard Madeley: 'What are your thoughts about the boy who did this?' She said: 'I feel sorry for him. Because I think he's been let down. I think Harvey's been let down. 'This shouldn't have happened. There were so many red flags. 'They must have known what he was like when his mum said that he'd took an axe in to school.' Madeley asked Mrs Willgoose what she believed the sentence should be when the defendant returns to Sheffield Crown Court on October 22. She said: 'I think he's got to be made an example of.' And she said she believe the judge should lift the order which guarantees the perpetrator's anonymity, due to his age. Harvey's sister Sophie said of the killer: 'He's a 15-year-old boy. We'd like to think that he didn't want to murder Harvey. 'He's just from a troubled background and services have let him down.' She described the trauma of the six-week long trial and how watching the CCTV of her brother being stabbed will 'haunt me forever'. The women said they are campaigning for knife arches to be installed in all secondary schools and colleges. Caroline Willgoose said: 'I know it goes a lot deeper than that. But, let's start somewhere, and then go into schools and educate children of the devastation, the pure devastation, of what this has caused.' Mrs Willgoose believes her son's death could have been prevented, especially after the killer's mother reported him having an axe. The jury in the trial also heard how the school's assistant head asked the defendant if he had anything on him which he should not hours before the murder, and the boy said he did not. Mrs Willgoose said last week: 'If you have a reason to ask that child, you've got a reason to search that child.' Asked about knife crime and the Willgooses' campaign on the same ITV programme, justice minister Alex Davies-Jones said: 'It is something that terrifies me. 'I don't think anyone could have heard the testimony of Caroline and Sophie and not be moved.' Ms Davies-Jones said Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is looking at the family's proposals on knife arches. She said she was 'really keen' to examine the family's experience of the criminal justice system. Steve Davies, chief executive of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, said on Friday: 'We think especially of Harvey's family, loved ones and friends today. We cannot begin to imagine the immeasurable impact the loss of Harvey has had on them. 'Harvey was a much-loved, positive and outgoing pupil whose memory will be cherished by all who knew him. As a community we have been devastated by his death and we continue to think of him every day. 'Harvey's death was an unimaginable tragedy for all, and one that understandably gives rise to a number of questions from his family and others. 'Now that the trial has finished, a number of investigations aimed at addressing and answering these questions will be able to proceed. We will engage fully and openly with them to help ensure every angle is considered and no key questions are left unresolved.'
CNN
39 minutes ago
- CNN
Trump zeroes in on federal takeover of DC, while city officials remain deferential to him
President Donald Trump is expected to ramp up efforts to curb crime in the nation's capital on Monday as he threatens a federal takeover of Washington, DC, all while city officials largely remain deferential to him. The event comes after Trump launched a surge of federal law enforcement in DC over the weekend that up to 450 officers were expected participate in, according to a White House official. Plans called for as many as 130 FBI agents to patrol with DC police as part of the increased federal presence, according to a one person familiar with the plans, which were first reported by The Washington Post. A primary part of their job will be driving around the city, running license plates for stolen vehicles and warrants, a source familiar told CNN. It's not typical for FBI agents to patrol with local police. Trump said over the weekend that he will hold a 'press conference' at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, teasing that the event 'will, essentially, stop violent crime in Washington, D.C.' 'I'm going to make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before. The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital,' Trump said in social media post on Sunday. 'The Criminals, you don't have to move out. We're going to put you in jail where you belong.' To support his threats, Trump has made false claims about rising crime in DC. But so far this year, overall crime numbers are lower than last year's, according to a preliminary year-to-date crime comparison from DC's Metropolitan Police Department — following a similar trend of declining crime rates in major US cities. Meanwhile, the local government has largely stayed deferential to the president amid his threats, avoiding the wrath of Trump, who was often at odds with the city during his first term. Five days after Trump began threatening to 'take over' the city, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser broke the notable silence that has been a feature of the city's response to Trump's incursions into local matters. Speaking to MSNBC on Sunday morning, Bowser denied that DC is undergoing a massive spike in crime. She also pointed out that the DC National Guard is 'the president's National Guard' and highlighted her 'shared priorities' with Trump, who she said is 'interested in being in neighborhoods and fighting crime.' The Democratic mayor, who abstained from criticizing the president directly during the interview, thanked federal law enforcement agencies 'who always work cooperatively with us, and we expect that they will again.' CNN attempted to reach Bowser's office on Sunday and several times last week for comment but either didn't receive a response or the office declined to comment. Similarly, 12 of 13 members of the DC Council did not respond or declined to a request for comment last week. Councilmember Christina Henderson attributed crime in the city to the Trump and Biden administrations not nominating enough judges to handle the local caseload. This deferential tone has been a hallmark of Bowser's strategy for dealing with Trump in his second term. It's also a sharp contrast to DC's demonstrative resistance during Trump's first term – like when Bowser ordered 'Black Lives Matter' painted on a street in front of the White House during the height of the George Floyd protests. When it comes to addressing violent crime in the city, Bowser — while maintaining that efforts to bring rates down has been successful — sees little upside in creating rifts with agencies by opposing Trump's deployment of federal officers, a source familiar with her thinking told CNN. Federal agencies work with DC's police force on a consistent basis, as jurisdictions regularly overlap with the US Park Police, Federal Protective Service, Secret Service and others including the Capitol Police. The mayor's office and the city-run police department also work intimately with federal partners in planning and securing a significant number of large events in the district. Balancing those relationships while also softly pushing back on Trump's repeated claims that DC is infested with crime is Bowser's current strategy to handling the volatile president, whose obsession with DC crime has ebbed and flowed over the years. And Bowser has received some credit from federal officials, including US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro, who said Wednesday in a Fox News interview: 'I have to give the mayor credit. Mayor Bowser is working with us.' The mayor in March announced the removal of Black Lives Matter Plaza after Republicans in Congress threatened to withhold funding for the district if it kept the two-block mural, which was unveiled following the 2020 murder of Floyd and subsequent protests. The mayor told CNN at the time, 'We have bigger fish to fry,' citing the looming financial and existential crises her city faces under Trump amid federal job losses and funding cuts . Bowser has taken opportunities to work with Trump when she can, including joining the president in the White House earlier this year to announce the NFL Draft would come to DC in 2027. She has also welcomed the federal government's help repairing and beautifying federal parks in DC. In his second term, Trump first suggested a federal takeover of the city in February, saying it should be run with 'law and order.' He renewed his focus on crime in DC last week after Edward Coristine, a former Department of Government Efficiency employee, was assaulted in an attempted carjacking. After that incident, Trump told reporters he is considering having his administration take over the Metropolitan Police Department and bringing in the National Guard. The president also said the administration was going 'to look at' overturning DC Home Rule – which gives certain congressional powers regarding the governance of the district to local government entities, including the mayor and city council. 'We have to run DC. This has to be the best-run place in the country, not the worst-run place in the country,' Trump said Wednesday. The Trump administration can take over the DC police department, which the president has said he's considering, and deploying the National Guard. Under DC Home Rule, the president can take control of the city's police for 48 hours if he 'determines that special conditions of an emergency nature exist which require the use of the Metropolitan Police force for Federal purposes.' He would then have access to any services of the police department that he 'may deem necessary and appropriate.' Trump can retain control for a longer period if he notifies the chairs and ranking members of the congressional committees that handle legislative matters related to Washington, DC, including the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Any request of over 30 days must be passed into law. But for Trump to truly have the federal government take over governing of Washington, he would need Congress to pass legislation, something which would be unlikely in a tightly controlled Senate. CNN's Brian Todd, Alex Daugherty, Shania Shelton and Josh Campbell contributed to this report.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Trump zeroes in on federal takeover of DC, while city officials remain deferential to him
President Donald Trump is expected to ramp up efforts to curb crime in the nation's capital on Monday as he threatens a federal takeover of Washington, DC, all while city officials largely remain deferential to him. The event comes after Trump launched a surge of federal law enforcement in DC over the weekend that up to 450 officers were expected participate in, according to a White House official. Plans called for as many as 130 FBI agents to patrol with DC police as part of the increased federal presence, according to a one person familiar with the plans, which were first reported by The Washington Post. A primary part of their job will be driving around the city, running license plates for stolen vehicles and warrants, a source familiar told CNN. It's not typical for FBI agents to patrol with local police. Trump said over the weekend that he will hold a 'press conference' at 10 a.m. ET on Monday, teasing that the event 'will, essentially, stop violent crime in Washington, D.C.' 'I'm going to make our Capital safer and more beautiful than it ever was before. The Homeless have to move out, IMMEDIATELY. We will give you places to stay, but FAR from the Capital,' Trump said in social media post on Sunday. 'The Criminals, you don't have to move out. We're going to put you in jail where you belong.' To support his threats, Trump has made false claims about rising crime in DC. But so far this year, overall crime numbers are lower than last year's, according to a preliminary year-to-date crime comparison from DC's Metropolitan Police Department — following a similar trend of declining crime rates in major US cities. Meanwhile, the local government has largely stayed deferential to the president amid his threats, avoiding the wrath of Trump, who was often at odds with the city during his first term. Five days after Trump began threatening to 'take over' the city, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser broke the notable silence that has been a feature of the city's response to Trump's incursions into local matters. Speaking to MSNBC on Sunday morning, Bowser denied that DC is undergoing a massive spike in crime. She also pointed out that the DC National Guard is 'the president's National Guard' and highlighted her 'shared priorities' with Trump, who she said is 'interested in being in neighborhoods and fighting crime.' The Democratic mayor, who abstained from criticizing the president directly during the interview, thanked federal law enforcement agencies 'who always work cooperatively with us, and we expect that they will again.' CNN attempted to reach Bowser's office on Sunday and several times last week for comment but either didn't receive a response or the office declined to comment. Similarly, 12 of 13 members of the DC Council did not respond or declined to a request for comment last week. Councilmember Christina Henderson attributed crime in the city to the Trump and Biden administrations not nominating enough judges to handle the local caseload. This deferential tone has been a hallmark of Bowser's strategy for dealing with Trump in his second term. It's also a sharp contrast to DC's demonstrative resistance during Trump's first term – like when Bowser ordered 'Black Lives Matter' painted on a street in front of the White House during the height of the George Floyd protests. When it comes to addressing violent crime in the city, Bowser — while maintaining that efforts to bring rates down has been successful — sees little upside in creating rifts with agencies by opposing Trump's deployment of federal officers, a source familiar with her thinking told CNN. Federal agencies work with DC's police force on a consistent basis, as jurisdictions regularly overlap with the US Park Police, Federal Protective Service, Secret Service and others including the Capitol Police. The mayor's office and the city-run police department also work intimately with federal partners in planning and securing a significant number of large events in the district. Balancing those relationships while also softly pushing back on Trump's repeated claims that DC is infested with crime is Bowser's current strategy to handling the volatile president, whose obsession with DC crime has ebbed and flowed over the years. And Bowser has received some credit from federal officials, including US Attorney for DC Jeanine Pirro, who said Wednesday in a Fox News interview: 'I have to give the mayor credit. Mayor Bowser is working with us.' The mayor in March announced the removal of Black Lives Matter Plaza after Republicans in Congress threatened to withhold funding for the district if it kept the two-block mural, which was unveiled following the 2020 murder of Floyd and subsequent protests. The mayor told CNN at the time, 'We have bigger fish to fry,' citing the looming financial and existential crises her city faces under Trump amid federal job losses and funding cuts . Bowser has taken opportunities to work with Trump when she can, including joining the president in the White House earlier this year to announce the NFL Draft would come to DC in 2027. She has also welcomed the federal government's help repairing and beautifying federal parks in DC. In his second term, Trump first suggested a federal takeover of the city in February, saying it should be run with 'law and order.' He renewed his focus on crime in DC last week after Edward Coristine, a former Department of Government Efficiency employee, was assaulted in an attempted carjacking. After that incident, Trump told reporters he is considering having his administration take over the Metropolitan Police Department and bringing in the National Guard. The president also said the administration was going 'to look at' overturning DC Home Rule – which gives certain congressional powers regarding the governance of the district to local government entities, including the mayor and city council. 'We have to run DC. This has to be the best-run place in the country, not the worst-run place in the country,' Trump said Wednesday. The Trump administration can take over the DC police department, which the president has said he's considering, and deploying the National Guard. Under DC Home Rule, the president can take control of the city's police for 48 hours if he 'determines that special conditions of an emergency nature exist which require the use of the Metropolitan Police force for Federal purposes.' He would then have access to any services of the police department that he 'may deem necessary and appropriate.' Trump can retain control for a longer period if he notifies the chairs and ranking members of the congressional committees that handle legislative matters related to Washington, DC, including the House Committee on Oversight and Reform and the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Any request of over 30 days must be passed into law. But for Trump to truly have the federal government take over governing of Washington, he would need Congress to pass legislation, something which would be unlikely in a tightly controlled Senate. CNN's Brian Todd, Alex Daugherty, Shania Shelton and Josh Campbell contributed to this report.
