SAN ANTONIO — At dismissal time outside the IDEA Carver campus Wednesday, school personnel worked quickly to move students away from an active police scene.
The long-abandoned Friedrich building is just a few feet away from the school and it was the scene of a suspicious fire the night before.
When a worker trying to secure the vandalized building saw an unauthorized person inside the cavernous complex, he said he called police.
The worker said he thought maybe the intruder might be connected to the Friedrich fire, or a series of fires in nearby buildings during the last two weeks.
When the first few officers to arrive saw a person running and trying to hide, an SAPD sergeant said they called for more officers.
Soon, two dozen police cars filled the street that separates the school campus from the Friedrich, which occupies most of a city block on the near east side.
Four SAPD K9 units arrived and two working dogs strained at their leashes to join the search.
A car from the San Antonio Fire Marshal's office arrived, as well as a number of investigators from the arson division.
After an intensive search, a police sergeant said they found someone inside the building, but after questioning the person, decided there was no threat.
In an email about the overall situation of late, the fire department said: "These recent fires are under continual investigation, and while arson is one angle there are others as well."
Fire department incident commanders have repeatedly said they hope anyone near the scene of any of these recent fires will come forward with helpful information. While arson investigators have been pounding the pavement, looking for potential witnesses, they also said they are interested in any video that might be available from surveillance cameras in the general area.
Below is a map of this month's fire incidents that have the east-side community concerned.
In a Facebook post in the "Dignowity Hill STRAIGHT TALK" residents group, District 2 city council representative Jalen McKee-Rodriguez posted an update about an upcoming meeting Monday at 6pm at the Ella Austin Community Center.
McKee-Rodriguez thanked the neighborhood association president for coordinating the event, writing: "We will be bringing the City Manager, Erik Walsh & Assistant City Manager over public safety, Maria Villagomez. The Eastside Substation Captain, Captain Brown, will be present as well as the Fire Chief, Chief Hood."