Man sets strip club on fire at 5 a.m., then starts firing gun, Florida police say
A man set a Florida strip club on fire just after closing time, then pulled out a gun and started shooting, according to the Tampa Police Department.
No dancers or patrons were on site at the time (the club closes at 4 a.m.), but one firefighter was hurt fighting the blaze, police officials said in a news release.
It happened at 4:55 a.m. on Wednesday, March 12, at The Pink Pony Tampa, a nude dance club and adult book store in the 5200 block of North Lois Avenue.
Arvin Solimanpoor, 29, is accused of “intentionally” starting the fire while inside the club, police said.
“A witness reported that Solimanpoor fired a gun multiple times while inside the unoccupied building,” officials said.
“Police officers arrived within minutes and apprehended Solimanpoor as he was dragging brush into the burning structure. Officers discovered a handgun on him.”
Tampa Fire Rescue arrived as flames began shooting through the roof, requiring a second alarm to summon additional resources.
Details of how the firefighter was injured were not released. He was briefly hospitalized, police said.
Investigators have not revealed a motive behind the fire.
Solimanpoor lives in Tampa, jail records show, and he added to his list of charges by assaulting an officer with urine, officials said.
“During his time in custody at the district office, Solimanpoor complained of thirst and was provided a bottle of water by an officer. After damaging a camera inside the holding area, he urinated into the empty water bottle and threw the contents onto a uniformed police officer,” police said.
He has been charged with:
- Arson with injury
- Shooting at, within, or into a building
- Possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony
- Battery on a law enforcement officer
- Felony criminal mischief