Coney Island Fire Starting Teen Held Without Bail
16-year-old Marcell Dockery is being held without bail, on charges of reportedly starting a fire in his Coney Island apartment building.
The premeditated flames left two police officers in critical condition. The teenager was arraigned Monday night and charged with reckless endangerment, assault and arson, after his admittance to setting the 13th residential floor on fire.
The high-rise is located on Surf Avenue. Speaking to detectives, the student claimed he set a mattress on fire because he was bored, one story up from where he resides. Two Coney Island police officers responded to the fire, with fire fighters arriving minutes later. Police Commissioner Bill Bratton described the scene, where firefighters found the police officers,"unconscious and unresponsive", before bringing them to safety from the buidling's hallway.
This is not Marcell Dockery's first arrest or fire activity. At 13-years-old, he was arrested for starting a fire at school. Dockery has other minor juvenile charge arrests to his name. Both police officers remain in critical condition. Thirteen people have suffered injuries as a result of the fire, that include three firefighters.
