Man pleads not guilty in tent fire that critically injured victim in Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS — A 33-year-old Minneapolis man has pleaded not guilty to charges that accuse him of setting a tent on fire with a victim in a wheelchair inside last month.
Anthony Leikas is charged with first-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault in connection to the Dec. 4 incident, court documents filed in Hennepin County show. He pleaded not guilty to those charges on Thursday.
Minneapolis police responded just before 1 a.m. on the day of the incident to the report that "a person had been started on fire" in the area of Glenwood Avenue and Twins Way, according to the criminal complaint.
When officers arrived, they found the victim lying on the ground with severe burns to his body. Police say he is a double amputee who uses a wheelchair. The wheelchair was found nearby and also burned.
Police say surveillance footage showed a single suspect, later identified as Leikas, stopping next to the victim's tent and then walking away. Seconds later, the tent was in flames. According to police, the fire was burning for nearly an hour before first responders arrived on the scene at 12:55 a.m.
Leikas was located and arrested on Dec. 14. He later admitted to seeing the fire, but claims two other witnesses started the fire with cigarette butts.
When Leikas was charged, police said the victim was in critical condition with burns over 85-90% of his body and is "unlikely to survive his injuries," officials said. The victim's current condition is unknown.
Leikas' trial date has been scheduled for April 22.