Woman Set On Fire In Waukesha; 1 In Custody: Police

WAUKESHA, WI — A person is in custody after police responded to reports of a woman being set on fire in Waukesha Wednesday morning, which prompted Waukesha schools to be placed on lockout.

Waukesha Police officials announced Wednesday afternoon that a suspect was taken into custody shortly after 12:30 p.m. in what they are characterizing as an attempted homicide incident. Police have not identified the suspect, who, as of Wednesday afternoon had not been formally charged.

Police declined to give more specifics about the incident as they continue to collect evidence. However, witnesses told police that a woman was set on fire in an unprovoked attack by the suspect, which promoted Waukesha schools to be placed on lockout Wednesday morning.

Police notified the school district about the incidents around 9:40 a.m. and indicated that the incidents were occurring within the city of Waukesha and the township of Waukesha. Police advised that the district put certain schools on lockout, according to an email to parents from the district's deputy superintendent.

Waukesha police said on their social media channels Wednesday morning that they were investigating two suspicious fires in the area and that, as a precaution, the schools were put on lockout. Officials later reported that at 8:47 a.m., officers responded to a report of a woman being set on fire in the 400 block of Lake Street, police said in a news release. Police said the victim was taken to an area burn center.

At 9:12 a.m., Waukesha police and fire officials were called to Fox Vale Ct., where an 83-year-old man had been hit by a vehicle driven by a 39-year-old male, officials said in a news release. Upon investigation, officials determined that the 39-year-old man acted alone in setting two vehicles on fire - one of which was in a garage and another which was in the driveway.

Authorities also believe that the man also set a workshop on fire, which caused significant damage. The vehicle fires were extinguished by the homeowners but the workshop fire needed to be extinguished by firefighters. The older gentleman who was struck by the vehicle was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Police said Wednesday morning that it was not known whether the two incidents were connected. However, a fire department spokesman said Wednesday afternoon that it is believed the man who was arrested for the attack on the woman is the same person involved the car and workshop fires. The spokesman said the incidents remain under investigation.

Wednesday afternoon, police confirmed an arrest has been made, but provided only limited details in the early stages of their investigation.

"There is no longer a threat the community as the sole suspect is in custody," police wrote in a news release.

Officials from Carroll University, who were also alerted by police, reported on social media channels that the suspect has been taken into custody. Waukesha Police and the Waukesha Sheriff's Department confirmed they have made an arrest, but are limiting details of the incident and the suspect as their investigation is "very dynamic."

When schools are in lockout, classes are conducted as normal, but students are not allowed outside and visitors are not allowed inside the building, Deputy Superintendent Joe Koch wrote in the email to parents. The district made the determination to put all schools on lockout.

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