A 19-year-old Wisconsin man, who remains unnamed, was arrested for allegedly setting a trip mall on fire. According to a police release, the man, once apprehended, later admitted to starting the fire following the TikTok ban. Said "ban" only lasted less than 24 hours after TikTok voluntarily shut down its services. The video platform went back online hours after the man set the mall on fire. The man was charged with arson.
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According to CBS News, the fire reportedly started at around 1 a.m. on Sunday, January 19. Fortunately, the building was unoccupied at the time, so the fire, which started outside the building, only caused minor damage. No one was injured as a result.
The Fond du Lac Fire Rescue
posted a statement on Facebook, detailing how the fire was put out. "Fond du Lac Police Officers arrived on scene first and used fire extinguishers to hold the fire in check until Fire Companies arrived and extinguished the fire," the statement reads. "The fire had extended inside the exterior wall and fire crews cut open the wall to stop the fire from spreading further. Crews then searched the entire building for occupants finding none."TikTok Fire
Later, police found the unnamed suspect in a nearby mall and arrested him, according to The Associated Press. A police release detailed that a 19-year-old admitted to starting to fire, according to Local 12. He was retaliating "in response to recent talks of a TikTok ban."
Inside the strip mall that the suspect allegedly set on fire, there is the office of Republican Rep. Glenn Grothman. Back in April, he voted for a bill that would require TikTok to sell their U.S. operations. This would ensure that the video platform continues to work in the United States. Grothman is aware of the fire but did not comment on it, according to CBS News.
Police Chief Aaron Goldstein then stated the strip mall fire. "We are relieved that no one was injured and the office was unoccupied at the time of the fire," Goldstein said. "Acts of violence, in any form are not tolerated, and we remain committed to protecting the safety and well-being of our community. I am thankful for the swift response of our Officers in helping knock down the fire and also locating the suspect of this arson."
