DeKalb County police arrested a man the morning of April 27 after a series of grass fires burned overnight near Georgia State University’s Clarkston Campus in the Clarkston area.
What happened: 37-year-old Wasim Majeed is in custody in connection with the fires. According to DeKalb County Fire Rescue, the fires started the night of April 26 and kept burning into the early morning hours of April 27. Every fire occurred within about a half-mile of the GSU Clarkston Campus.
Where the fires burned: DeKalb County Fire Rescue released a map showing fires at several spots in the same tight area:
- 827 North Indian Creek Drive, the property of Masjid Al-Momineen mosque
- Memorial College Avenue, where the first call came in as a woods and brush fire
- Parklane Drive
- Near Hallford Stadium
What’s still unknown: DeKalb County has not said what charges Majeed faces. It is not clear how many fires were set, whether any buildings were damaged, or whether anyone was hurt. The investigation is ongoing.
The path forward: With no formal charges announced yet, the case will likely go to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s office, which decides what crimes to formally charge. In Georgia, arson is a felony. Fires set on religious property can also trigger additional charges under state and federal law.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
