'Going to kill some people': Man texted dad about plans to stab and trap roommates upstairs before setting house on fire, police say
Share and Follow

Background: The home in Tacoma, Washington, where the fire broke out (KING/YouTube). Inset: Andrew Cole Keen appearing in court (KING/YouTube).

A disturbing incident unfolded in the greater Seattle area when a man allegedly attacked his housemates with a knife at a sober living residence, then set a fire intended to isolate those residing on the upper floors.

Andrew Cole Keen, aged 29, faces charges of three counts of second-degree attempted murder and one count of first-degree arson, as reported by local ABC station KOMO. Keen entered a plea of not guilty this week and is currently detained on a $1 million bail, according to NBC’s Seattle affiliate KING.

The incident took place just before dawn on Tuesday at a house located on the 4000 block of South 34th Street in Tacoma, Washington. The residence, recognized as a sober living facility, was home to several individuals at the time.

Keen had only been living there for three days when his mental health reportedly declined due to discontinuing his medication. Court records reveal that Keen accused another resident of stealing something intangible, like his emotions or thoughts.

Around 4 a.m. on Tuesday, a resident was awakened by shouting, as stated in the court documents. This individual quickly realized that someone was on the phone with 911, claiming they had been stabbed and that the house was on fire. Rushing downstairs, the witness was met with flames reaching from floor to ceiling in the living room area.

The resident cited in the court records “immediately knew this was involving Andrew and was quickly confirmed by all the other residents.” Another one of the housemates “had escaped through the upstairs window,” and the one who had called 911 “was fully on fire.”

Authorities said Keen’s father — calling from outside Washington state — reported getting text and social media messages from his son stating he was “going to jail tonight because he was going to kill some people.”

Investigators believe Keen lit multiple mattresses and a pile of clothes on fire at the bottom of the stairs of the home in a way that appeared “to contribute in trapping the upstairs residents.”

KING spoke with one of the victims of the fire — though it is unclear if it is the same one listed in the court documents — who said “one guy came out [of] the house on fire. He was blazed up, blazed up bad.”

When law enforcement arrived at the residence and then found Keen at a nearby 7-Eleven, he reportedly had matches and a lighter on him, as well as a cut on his hand. When officers asked him how the fire started, he allegedly smiled. He was arrested.

Three men were brought to the hospital, and one of them had severe injuries and was listed in critical condition, authorities said.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Tragic Incident: Man Allegedly Murders Mother and Flees in Stolen Car, Police Report

Inset left: Addison Martinez (Chatham County Sheriff”s Office). Inset right: Vida Martinez…

Firefighter Allegedly Reads Wife’s Diary Before Tragic Ax Attack, Lawyer Reveals

Inset left to right: Andrew Jimenez and Mayra Jimenez (Facebook/Mayra Jimenez). Background:…

DOJ Makes Error in Naming Top Prosecutor Amidst Request to Pause Letitia James Subpoena Ruling

Left: Attorney General Pam Bondi appears before a Senate Judiciary Committee oversight…

Man Accused of Fatally Injuring Toddler, Allegedly Blames Her Adventurous Nature, Police Report

Inset: Nicholas Stout (Denver Police Dept.) Background: The area in Colorado where…

FBI Announces $10K Reward in Urgent Search for Missing 63-Year-Old Indigenous Woman

The FBI has announced a $10,000 reward for information leading to the…

Mother Sentenced for Starving and Confining 7-Year-Old Child Over Behavioral and Health Concerns

Virginia Gonzales (City of Austin/Austin Police Department). In a disturbing case from…

Chilling Idaho Murders: Inside the Shocking Crime Scene and the Legal Battle Against Bryan Kohberger

The recent release of graphic crime scene photographs tied to Bryan Kohberger’s…