High school students puzzled why arsonist is setting fires here

SNOHOMISH -- Investigators in Snohomish County are looking for an arsonist -- not one who burned a home, a business or even a trash can.

They're looking for someone who set fires to part of an athletic field at Glacier Peak High School.

In the past, "We had our concession stand broken into, and our speakers were stolen from us. That was obviously bad, but we didn’t think too much of it because that sort of thing happens,” softball player Megan Roberts said Monday. “But it got taken to a whole new level now.”

Roberts and Abby Wiseman were warming up Monday, getting ready for the start of the softball season.

“Our tryouts are coming up,” said Roberts. “We’ve been getting together as a team, looking forward to the season.”

But they don’t know exactly where they’ll be playing. This past weekend, someone started a fire on their field. They torched one dugout Friday night, the other Sunday night.

“Now that both of the dugouts have been burned down, it seems like someone has something against us,” Wiseman said. “But we don’t know who.”



Joe Campbell is the booster club president for the boy’s team. He’s not sure if the girls are being targeted, or if all the fields could be in jeopardy.

“I’m here to get the boys baseball stuff, their public address system,” he said. “I wanted to get it out of there because we don’t know.”

He’s hoping the reward the Snohomish County Fire Marshal is offering will lead to the arrest of the arsonist.

“In this day and age, they don’t realize there’s cameras everywhere. I have a feeling that they’ll figure it out.”

“I really hope they catch them,” said Michael Dugas, who plays on the baseball team. “If there are cameras around and there are, I hope they catch them.”

The girls say they won’t let this ruin their season, but they do have questions.

“I just want to know why,” said Roberts. “It’s a great group of girls and I feel like we must have done something to hurt them, or make them want to do this.”

“It’s weird,” added Wiseman. “I never thought something like this would happen at my school.”

Coaches told the girls they do have insurance. But even if there’s money to clean up and repair the dugouts, it could take a while.

If you have any information that could help investigators, you’re asked to call 1-800-55-ARSON or 425-388-3557.