Kenosha police credited with catching man who set fire to business, rescuing tenants living above

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KENOSHA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A crazy night in Kenosha after police say a man acting erratically at a bar ended up setting fire to a business a few blocks away.

The fire was set at Mary's Salon. A fire station just happens to be right across the street. But most of the credit goes to police on routine patrol who spotted something at Mary's Salon that just didn't seem right.

Shattered glass covers the sidewalk outside Mary's Salon days after two Kenosha police offers on routine patrol spotted it around 3 a.m. Saturday.

"Noticed some broken glass on a business door. They stopped to investigate and while they did, they found a man crawling out of the business on his hands and knees," said Kenosha Police Lt. Joseph Nosalik.

Officers thought they were taking a burglar into custody. They didn't expect what happened next. 

"He did make threats to the officers and while the officers were effecting the arrest, they noticed smoke coming from the building," said Lt. Nosalik.

Eleven people were asleep in the apartments above the business. Officers ran to the back of the building to start pounding on doors.

"We're very proud of the officers, these officers did that night," said Lt. Nosalik.

What police have since learned is that the suspect, now identified as Edmond King of Milwaukee, was the subject of a problem earlier in the night at Shenanigan's Bar a few blocks away.

"He was allegedly bumping into people inside the bar, kind of being a nuisance. The gentleman became upset, left the bar in a very upset manner and then found a brick or a large rock and began smashing out a window on a car," said Lt. Nosalik.

King faces numerous charges in both incidents. Police believe he was intoxicated. Ironically, Mary's Salon has a sign on the back door advertising Alcoholics Anonymous.

We talked to people in the stores that are attached to Mary's Salon.

They said how thankful they are that police saw the guy crawling out and got the fire department there right away.

Thanks to the efforts of all involved, the only business with damages is Mary's Salon.

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