Charges: Man set Shoreview barber shop on fire to force owner to move to Columbia Heights
SHOREVIEW, Minn. — Charges accuse a man of intentionally setting fire to a barbershop in Shoreview, allegedly to force the owner to move the shop to Columbia Heights.
Dennis Manning, 55, is charged with first- and second-degree arson, according to court documents filed in Ramsey County.
The fire in question occurred at Pauly Ray's Sports Barbershop Wednesday evening.
According to the criminal complaint, surveillance video showed Manning use a lighter to ignite a cloth on top of some video games inside the shop just before 6:30 p.m.
"The fire burned continuously and accelerated in intensity for around 20 minutes before the fire suppression sprinkler system activated and extinguished the flames," the complaint states.
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Around 8 p.m., a deputy saw Manning near the scene, using his phone to either record a video or video chat with someone. Authorities arrested Manning and found a red lighter on him, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, Manning first denied starting the fire, then questioned how a lighter could start video games on fire, then said there was "no footage of me having a lighter to start anything on fire." Eventually, Manning told authorities he "lit a string on a cloth," but still said he "did not start the fire."
Investigators asked Manning why he lit the string, and he allegedly said he was "exhausted" and wanted to get rid of the string quickly.
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Manning also allegedly told investigators he and the owner of the shop planned to move it to Columbia Heights.
The owner told authorities he had known Manning for eight years and he had previously worked in Manning's Columbia Heights barbershop, which recently closed. The owner said Manning repeatedly asked about moving Pauly Ray's to Columbia Heights, but the owner had no intention of doing so.
"The owner thinks Manning intentionally set the fire to close his business making it easier for the owner to agree to start a new shop in Columbia Heights," the complaint states.
Pauly Ray's is closed and the interior "has been entirely gutted," according to the complaint.
Manning is in custody.
WCCO profiled Manning last month, when his landlord notified him he had 45 days to vacate the space occupied by Sportsmen's Barbers, Manning's shop.
"It hurts," Manning said. "They told me they sold it, and the new owners don't want us here."