Surveillance footage shows arsonist setting fire to probation office

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Footage captured at the scene of a suspected arson appears to show a person firing a projectile at the Missouri Probation and Parole Office shortly before flames erupt inside.

The fire happened in the early morning hours of March 5.

The person broke the back window of the door, sprayed a liquid inside, then fired a flare gun into the building, according to a report from the Jefferson City Police Department.

The state's cost to repair the damage done by the fire was $7,648, Missouri Department of Corrections spokesperson Karen Pojmann said.

Cleaning furniture panels, work surfaces and file cabinets cost $7,282 and the amount spent to replace two state-owned card-readers was $366.

Police found some footprints in the snow outside of the building but could not confirm any DNA evidence at the scene, the report said.

No arrests have been made since the fire but Vince Rost, the district administrator who oversees the probation and parole building management says, in his profession, you have to expect the unexpected.

"When you're working with this population sometimes folks have some strange ideas about what they should do to get to the next day and I think we always keep that in mind," Rost said.

Lt. Williams with the Jefferson City Police Department said the investigation has exhausted its leads and until new leads are developed, this case will remain closed.

Stay with ABC 17 News for information as it breaks on this developing story.