Omaha teen who 'wants to be a serial killer' arrested after trying to set woman and infant on fire
OMAHA, NEBRASKA: A teenager is accused of trying to start a fire at the Westroads Mall in Omaha and has been charged with three felonies for attempted assault. The case is now being heard in juvenile court due to the suspect's age.
Omaha police stated that a woman was approached by a young boy in November 2022 while she was making her way to her car outside the Westroads Mall. The 15-year-old boy then sprayed something that smelled like gasoline on the woman while attempting to ignite a lighter. He attempted to burn the woman, but was unsuccessful, and sought out a different victim. The teen then allegedly tried to set fire to another woman's car while she was driving with her infant by dousing it with flammable liquid. The mother reported to the police that the teen was giggling and attempting to set her car on fire while they were inside. The boy was subsequently arrested by Omaha police. Court documents released on Monday, January 23 describe the teen's extensive history of mental health issues.
READ MORE
Jalique Rosemond: Kennesaw student attacked by two White men who threatened to 'rip out his dreads'
The court documents state that the teen was arrested at Westroads Mall on November 28, 2022 for attempting to light people on fire at the mall, as reported by KETV. The teen, who was "home sick from school" at the time of the incident, left his home "to purchase a butane torch and accelerant, boarded a city bus, and went to the mall to carry out his plan."
The teen had been enrolled in the Omaha Public Schools Integrated Learning Program since 2019. Court records state that he has committed four different weapons offenses in that timeframe, including bringing "a butcher's knife to school on two occasions, a butter knife on one occasion and a stun gun on one occasion."
Court documents stated, "He made regular and frequent threats to harm others by killing people or killing specific students or staff. He also threatened to rape all of the high school girls in the program." In the documents, doctors attest that the boy was brought to Immanuel five times for crisis intervention following significant episodes of homicidal or suicidal behavior.
"He consistently struggles to know fantasy from reality and states he wants to be a serial killer and burn people," the court document stated. The teen is described as having developmental problems and not being a candidate for inpatient mental health care in the court document.
"Mom is very overwhelmed with the boy," stated a supervisor with the Region 6 Professional Partners program, "and can come off as flat or uninterested and she lacks some urgency." The court document stated, "The mother has appropriately accessed various community services, while sometimes showing inconsistency related to poverty and access barriers."
The court documents also claimed that the mother attempted to build lockboxes in her home to protect herself from her child. The adolescent is being held in the Douglas County Youth Center, and both he and his family are scheduled to appear in court once more in February.