Incident Summary

On July 7, 2026, at approximately 2250 hours, a fire was intentionally set within the holding cell block of the Bradford City Police Department, located at 18 Kennedy Street, Bradford, Pennsylvania.

The incident occurred while a defendant was lawfully detained in the cell block for a neighboring Police Dept. The individual produced a green lighter from their waistband and used it to ignite their clothing, which was then removed and continued to be intentionally ignited on the floor of the cell.

The investigation revealed that the burned sweatshirt, which appeared to be maroon in color, exhibited multiple areas of burn damage and ignition. The lighter used to ignite the fire was recovered from the scene as evidence.

The fire posed a substantial risk of spreading to nearby combustible materials, including a wooden bench and ceiling, and placed four police officers present in the police station in danger of death or bodily injury.

The officers present at the time of the incident were from the Bradford City Police Department and the Bradford Township Police Department.

Based on the investigation, the defendant is believed to have intentionally started the fire, manifesting an intent to destroy or damage property and recklessly placing the officers in danger of death or bodily injury.

All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.