2 Teenagers Charged in Race-Motivated Arsons

Two North Long Beach teenagers have been arrested and charged with committing about 30 racially motivated arsons in the city since early May.

Witnesses to a Wednesday morning garage fire in the 300 block of Marker Lane led investigators to a 15-year-old boy who later confessed to the arsons, Long Beach Fire Capt. Jim Watson said Thursday. The juvenile then told authorities about his alleged accomplice, 18-year-old Jorge Corea, who was also arrested.

The boy said he began setting the fires--all of which occurred in North Long Beach--after being harassed by black youths, Watson said. But if the teenager’s intention was to target African American property owners, he apparently missed his target, since few of the fires damaged property owned by blacks, Watson said.

No residents were hurt in the fires, but one firefighter received a minor injury, Watson said. The fires caused an estimated $100,000 in damage, he added.

Most of the arsons were alley fires fueled by garbage and abandoned furniture, but at least three involved structures. In one fire last month, Watson said, two families were endangered by a carport blaze that nearly cut off an escape route.