The State - News from May 9, 1989

One juvenile has been accused of setting fires at a high school and junior high in Fresno, and investigators are trying to determine whether the arsons were gang related. A Roosevelt High School student was booked into Juvenile Hall on a charge of setting two fires: one that caused $200,000 damage to that school’s office and a small fire at Tehipite Middle School’s office. His name was not released because of his age. Officers indicated that there are additional suspects, but there was confusion over how much they feel a gang was responsible for the fires. “All the reasons behind the fires are not clear at this point,” fire inspector John Salveson said. “But we do know the people involved are gang members.” Police spokesman Ron Hults said detectives do not think the fires were set as a gang activity, even though some of those responsible may be members of a gang. “This could have been just a wanton act of vandalism in the form of an arson,” he said.