By: Stephanie Jacksis
UPDATE: Killeen Fire Department is now investigating the fire at Gateway Middle School as an arson. Authorities are looking for a person of interest. He's described as a Hispanic male in his late 20's to late 30's, standing at 6'0" weighing more than 200 pounds.
Witnesses said they saw the man jump over a fence before police arrived. He was last seen wearing a yellow shirt and dark colored pants.
Police Chief J.D. Gardner said there was evidence that showed someone intentionally set the school on fire. He said trails of a flammable liquid inside the building, and canine units that are specifically trained to sniff out gasoline or lighter fluids indicated there were several rooms inside the school that had been tampered with.
At least four teachers lost all supplies in the fire, if you'd like to donate items contact Leslie Gilmore at Leslie.Gilmore@killeenisd.org.
By: Christine McCarthy and Adam Shear
KILLEEN- A fire broke out at a Killeen alternative middle school on Saturday afternoon, and investigators were trying to determine how it started.
Killeen Police and Fire found the offices of Gateway Middle School in the 1300 block of Gowen Dr. engulfed in flames shortly before 4:00 p.m.
"Officers came to find smoke coming from the building and as you can see it was completely engulfed [in fire] in the back," said Carroll Smith, Killeen Police Department.
Fire fighters spent the next two hours dousing the building.
The offices were completely destroyed but the nearby high school was not damaged.
"For [Killeen ISD] it is devastating of course to see any type of structural damage," said Leslie Gilmore, Killeen ISD. "The school district is very important in the community, so its a bit of a shock of course."
Since class was not in session at the time, no one was injured.
"Its not hurting the teachers, it's hurting us," said Gateway Middle School eighth grader Marcus McGee. "The teachers will have another place to go, but the student's it'll be harder for them to find a place to go where they can still get their education."
Killeen ISD officials announced a plan on Sunday to send all Gateway Middle School students to the old KISD Career Center or Pathways complex at 3004 Atkinson Ave. in Killeen. Classes will resume on Monday.
The Killeen Fire Department is investigating the cause of the fire.
