Man wanted on 5 counts of attempted homicide after setting home on fire in York, police say

Dylan Segelbaum, York Daily Record
·2 min read

A man is accused of intentionally setting a fire inside a vacant home in York, which then spread to a connected house while five people were inside — including his ex-girlfriend.

Kristopher Barnes, 31, of the 500 block of West Clarke Avenue, York, is wanted on five counts of criminal attempt to commit criminal homicide and related offenses.

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The aftermath of a two-alarm fire at a duplex on Lincoln Street near North Pershing Avenue is seen on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. Five people were inside the home to the left when a man intentionally-set a fire in the vacant house at the right, York City police said.
The aftermath of a two-alarm fire at a duplex on Lincoln Street near North Pershing Avenue is seen on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022. Five people were inside the home to the left when a man intentionally-set a fire in the vacant house at the right, York City police said.

At 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, York City police were called to 175 Lincoln St., which is a vacant part of a duplex. Flames had engulfed the home.

The fire then spread next door to 177 Lincoln St., where a man lived on the first floor. A woman and three children, police said, were asleep on the second floor.

Law enforcement spoke to a neighbor and reviewed surveillance video.

Barnes collected trash and threw it inside the vacant property. A neighbor spotted him climbing in and out of the window at least two times. And he was captured on surveillance video near the house when smoke began to come out of the window, police said.

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The second and third floors of 175 Lincoln St. in York are pictured here fully involved in fire in this submitted photo from Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022.
The second and third floors of 175 Lincoln St. in York are pictured here fully involved in fire in this submitted photo from Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022.

York City Fire/Rescue Services Chief William Sleeger Jr. said the fire reached two alarms.

Firefighters were there for several hours. Because of partial building collapse, he said, it "took us a little longer to fully extinguish everything."

Sleeger estimated that 175 Lincoln St. sustained $100,000 worth of damage. Meanwhile, 177 Lincoln St. experienced $75,000 worth of damage.

Police interviewed a woman who reported that Barnes had threatened the night before to chop up and kill his ex-girlfriend. The woman identified him in a still photo from security video.

Later, Barnes’ ex-girlfriend came into the York City Police Department and picked him out of a photo lineup with 100% certainty. That’s along with identifying him in a still picture.

She showed investigators a picture of him from his Facebook page. Barnes, police said, was wearing the same jacket as the man recorded on surveillance video.

Also of interest: Photos: 2 acres go up in flames after garage fire spreads in Jackson Township

Barnes also faces charges of causing a catastrophe, aggravated arson and recklessly endangering another person.

Dylan Segelbaum is the courthouse reporter at the York Daily Record, part of the USA TODAY NETWORK. Contact him at dsegelbaum@ydr.com, by phone at 717-916-3981 or on Twitter @dylan_segelbaum.

How to help

Tipsters, here's how to help the York City Police Department:

  • Submit a tip using the CRIMEWATCH app or at www.yorkcitypolice.com.

  • Contact York County Crime Stoppers at (717) 775-TIPS (8477).

  • Call the York City Police Department at (717) 846-1234 or (717) 849-2219 — or the York City Police Tip Line at (717) 849-2204.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Two-alarm fire in York: Kristopher Barnes charged with attempted homicide