Monday, November 6th 2023, 8:12 am
A suspicious house fire in Wewoka is under investigation. The blaze was suspected to be part of an outbreak of gang violence that has the small city on edge. The man who lived in the home managed to escape the fire with minor injuries.
The resident said the ATF and FBI were investigating the house fire. Vincent Watts said someone threw a Molotov cocktail into his bedroom window two weekends ago.
The Wewoka Fire Department posted a picture on Facebook after fire crews doused the flames that destroyed Watts' home. Watts said it was only his second day living there. He was in the bedroom when a suspected arsonist set the home on fire.
“For some reason I just woke up and I see this bottle coming in through the window and it hits this leg right here and it burns it,” said Vincent Watts, arson victim.
The fire quickly destroyed the bedroom and moved to other parts of the home. The Seminole Fire Department, Seminole Nation Lighthorse and Wewoka police assisted Wewoka fire crews in putting out the blaze.
Watts believed the suspect was targeting the previous resident of the home and not him. He suspects it was tied to the gang war terrorizing his hometown.
“They have to learn that they can’t go around settling their problems throwing explosives,” said Watts.
Watts said the suspicious fire happened only blocks from where a teenager was shot in the back.
“They said within the next 20 days they’ll know if he will ever walk again and he’s 16 years old,” said Watts.
Watts and many other residents were relieved when authorities arrested six people on Thursday connected to a fatal shooting and various acts of gang violence around town.
“It’s been like World War Three and we don’t need this,” said Watts.
Watts does not know if any of the suspects arrested last week were responsible for setting his house on fire.
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