SPOKANE VALLEY, WA – A 13-year-old male has been arrested and charged with first-degree arson in connection with a fire at the JCPenney store located at 14730 E. Indiana Avenue last month. The incident caused an estimated $50,000 in fire, smoke, and water damage to merchandise and property.
According to the Spokane Valley Police Department, detectives from the Spokane Valley Investigative Unit (SVIU) identified the juvenile suspect with assistance from the public, the Spokane Valley Fire Department’s Fire Marshals, and store staff.
Investigators believe the incident occurred on the evening of May 17, 2025, around 7:42 p.m. Surveillance and witness information indicate the juvenile suspect, accompanied by two other youths, was on the second floor of the occupied store when he used a torch-style lighter to burn holes in boxes containing merchandise. One of the boxes ignited, spreading flames to others and activating the store’s sprinkler system.
The resulting fire caused damage to merchandise on both floors of the store in addition to water and smoke damage throughout the building.
The suspect was arrested the morning of June 11 and booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center on a charge of Arson in the First Degree. The investigation is ongoing.
