Battle Creek Police Investigate Suspected Arson In Apartment Fire

Battle Creek police and Calhoun County Sheriff's deputies were called to the address for a man threatening people with a gun just hours before a fire that appears to intentionally set.

An apartment fire that began in the overnight hours going into Friday is being investigated by the Battle Creek Police Department as a possible arson. Officers say they have been called to the address several times as of late for what they describe as ongoing disputes among some residents.

On Thursday, July 2 at 2:15 p.m., officers from Battle Creek assisted by Calhoun County Sheriff Department deputies were called to the property for a report of a man threatening people with a gun. The suspect was arrested on a charge of felonious assault but police were unable to locate a gun. Three individuals with him were detained by authorities but later released, according to the Battle Creek Enquirer.

Bedford and Pennfield township firefighters were called at 12:22 a.m. Friday, July 3 for a fire at Renaissance Apartments located at 905 North Avenue. Battle Creek police say a 20-year-old woman who lives in the apartment that was burned, had reported that evening that someone broke a window in her apartment and she and her child left to stay the night elsewhere. Police said she was involved in the earlier disputes. The broken window was covered with plywood but when firefighters arrived, they found that the plywood had been removed. Police say it appears someone may have gone inside and started a fire in a closet. The building remained closed through Friday to allow detectives to investigate.