Suspected arsonist behind bars for Garland apartment fire

GARLAND, Texas - Garland police and arson investigators arrested a man suspected of setting an apartment complex on fire Sunday.

Witnesses reported seeing a man break in through a window at the Saturn Square Apartments around 10:30 a.m., then walk out a few minutes later with flames at his back.

Garland Fire Marshal Michael Vanbuskirk said the apartment complex's surveillance cameras caught it all on video. 

"PD got a call that somebody was breaking into, climbing through a window in one of the apartment units, and about two minutes later, the call came in that the unit was on fire,” he said.

The video shows a man break in, got back out to a vehicle, grab two white bags and a box, then go back inside.

"Well, it's just somebody that's taking some stuff in. They're getting out of a van, they're carrying stuff into the apartment, then a few minutes later, they come running out with fire behind them."

"It makes me worry because I have two daughters and I thought this was a good area," said Evelyn Camacho, who lives in the complex.

Within a few hours, police were able to identify 29-year-old Abdulsatar Abduhlrahman and arrest him a few blocks away for felony arson. The fire marshal said Abduhlrahman is related to the man who lives in the apartment.

"The owner of the apartment he says nobody has grudges against him. Nobody is mad at him, so this time, we're not sure what the motivation is," said Vanbuskirk.

The Red Cross is helping those who were displaced by the fire. A total of eight units were destroyed.

Fire investigators are still trying to figure out what was used to start the fire.