Man Arrested After Allegedly Setting 2 On Fire Tuesday

One person was arrested police say after two people were intentionally set on fire on Tuesday,

Oklahoma City Police say that 70-year-old Michael Madison was taken into custody Tuesday.

The incident happened on Tuesday in a busy area near West Hefner Road and Western Avenue.

A metro business owner said a stranger helped the couple. The owner said her neighbor saw a woman on fire and then placed her in his shower to help put out the flames.

Charred patches of grass and fragments of clothing remain.

According to Oklahoma City Police, a man and woman were sleeping along this fence line when someone set them on fire.“It was a call where two people had been set on fire, purposely set on fire,” said Oklahoma City Police Msgt. Gary Knight.

According to witnesses, the female victim stumbled to a home next door---where someone doused her with water. Only realizing later, that a man she was with was also badly burned.

Near the visible crime scene, just 20 yards from where the couple slept is a makeshift shelter hidden in a wooded area. 

“I don’t know if this was random or targeted,” said Knight.         

Police are still working to determine a motive--sifting through little evidence left behind. “Somehow, he set them on fire. I don’t know if he used an accelerant, but we do know he intentionally did this,” said Knight.

Taylor Self with the Homeless Alliance learned of the heartbreaking news. “A large part of our mission is the belief that the people we serve deserve dignity, respect, and most of all safety no matter if they are sleeping outside or if they are sleeping in a home,” said Taylor Self with the Homeless Alliance.

Both victims are being treated at a metro burn center, the woman is in critical condition. Both victims were injured in what Self says is a senseless crime.

“These people are mothers, brothers, fathers, sisters, and more importantly our neighbors and people,” said Self. 

City Rescue Mission responded to the incident saying:

"City Rescue Mission is deeply saddened and appalled by the tragic incident that occurred on Tuesday morning in northwest Oklahoma City, where two individuals experiencing homelessness were intentionally set on fire. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and all our neighbors experiencing homelessness during this challenging time."