CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A suspect is in custody after investigators determined an apartment fire in west Charlotte was intentionally set, officials said.
The Charlotte Fire Department responded to a fire at the Little Rock apartments just off West Boulevard around 6:30 p.m. When fire crews arrived, they found smoke and flames coming from a first-story apartment home. The fire was controlled by a team of firefighters in about 10 minutes, according to Charlotte Fire.
Investigators said evidence they gathered at the scene indicated the fire was intentionally set. The suspect was taken into custody. WCNC Charlotte has reached out to Charlotte-Mecklenburg police for more information on Sunday evening and got a response Monday afternoon that said the fire had been set by 33-year-old Jovota Jeter who was arrested and charged with first-degree arson.
The fire caused an estimated $13,000 in damage. One person and a dog were displaced by the damage. The Red Cross is assisting the person, who was home at the time of the fire, officials said.
CMPD said the fire was a "suicidal threat." If you or a loved one are facing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, there is help readily available. You can call Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat with them online. There are also resources in North Carolina available here and in South Carolina available here.
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