Campus Alert Archive
FLC

Student Sets Press Box and Police Car Ablaze in Back-to-Back Arsons That Rocked Small Colorado Campus

COarsontimely warningmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

Two arson attacks struck Fort Lewis College within 18 hours on March 10, 2024: a press box fire at Ray Dennison Memorial Field at approximately 5:30 AM MT, and an explosion when an FLC police patrol vehicle was set ablaze at approximately 11:30 PM MT. A student, Zane Maher-Young, 20, was arrested Thursday and gave a detailed confession. The ATF's Denver Field Division took over the investigation from campus police.

Alerts
3
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Fort Lewis College
Public Bachelors · CO
~3,500 studentsSkyhawk Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstruction308 chars
Skyhawk Alert: FLC community should be aware that two arson incidents occurred on campus over the weekend. A fire was set at the press box at Ray Dennison Memorial Field and a police vehicle was set on fire. No injuries were reported. FLC Police and federal law enforcement are investigating. Campus is open.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from KSUT Tribal Radio reporting that text messages in the early morning hours on Monday (March 11) alerted the FLC community to the two arson attacks on campus
The press box fire occurred Sunday morning (March 10) at approximately 5:30 AM MT and the police vehicle fire at approximately 11:30 PM MT on the same day
The press box windows had been shattered, indicating forced entry, per Durango Fire Chief Randy Black
The police vehicle explosion was felt throughout campus per FLC
FOLLOW-UPWebsite
Approximate reconstruction266 chars
FLC announces that the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' Denver Field Division will take over the investigation into the two arson incidents that occurred on campus this weekend. FLC Police are cooperating fully with federal investigators.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from FLC news release reported by the Durango Herald; the ATF Denver Field Division assumed investigative lead on the evening of March 11
Multiple agencies were involved: FLC Police, Durango Police Department, Durango Fire Protection District, Colorado Bureau of Investigation, and ATF
FOLLOW-UPWebsite
Approximate reconstruction259 chars
FLC Police Department announces the arrest of a Fort Lewis College student in connection with the two arson incidents on March 10. The suspect, Zane Maher-Young, 20, of Moab, Utah, has been taken into custody. No further threat to campus is believed to exist.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Reconstructed from FLC Police Department arrest announcement; Maher-Young gave a detailed confession after arrest on Thursday March 14
Maher-Young was charged with multiple counts including first-degree arson, second-degree arson, possession of a bomb, unlawful carrying of a weapon, and reckless endangerment
Context

Background

Fort Lewis College experienced two arson attacks in rapid succession on March 10, 2024. The first fire was set to the press box at Ray Dennison Memorial Field around 5:30 AM MT on Sunday; Durango Fire Protection District responded to smoke from the structure and discovered evidence of forced entry through shattered windows. Approximately 18 hours later at roughly 11:30 PM MT, an FLC student walked past the campus police department headquarters and ignited a patrol SUV, which subsequently exploded, damaging a second police vehicle. The explosion was felt throughout campus. The ATF Denver Field Division took over the investigation on Monday night in partnership with campus police, Durango Police, Durango Fire, and the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. Zane Maher-Young, a 20-year-old FLC student from Moab, Utah, was arrested Thursday March 14 after providing a detailed confession to campus police. He faced six charges including first-degree arson, second-degree arson, criminal mischief, possession of a bomb, unlawful carrying of a weapon, and reckless endangerment. No one was injured in either incident.
Analysis

Key Findings

Two separate arson attacks 18 hours apart on the same campus escalated from property damage to a police vehicle explosion, triggering ATF involvement
Text message alerts were not sent until Monday morning -- more than 24 hours after the first fire and hours after the second
The suspect was a currently enrolled FLC student, illustrating that insider threats can include non-violent property destruction as well as violence
Charges included 'possession of a bomb,' reflecting that the police vehicle fire was treated as an explosive device incident, not merely arson
Outcome
FLC student Zane Maher-Young, 20, of Moab, Utah, was arrested and confessed. He was charged with first-degree arson and criminal mischief for the press box fire, and second-degree arson, possession of a bomb, criminal mischief, unlawful carrying of a weapon, and reckless endangerment for the police vehicle explosion. No injuries reported.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Law enforcement agencies investigate police car, press box fires at Fort Lewis College - The Durango Herald
    durangoherald.com
  2. News
    Two Arson Attacks Hit Fort Lewis College Campus - KSUT Tribal Radio
    tribalradio.org
  3. News
    ATF investigating two on-campus arsons at Fort Lewis College - Denver7
    denver7.com
  4. News
    Fort Lewis College student arrested in connection with campus arsons - The Durango Herald
    durangoherald.com
  5. News
    Federal ATF takes over Fort Lewis College arson investigation - The Durango Herald
    durangoherald.com
Tags
arsonpolice-vehiclepress-boxatffederal-investigationcoloradodurangosmall-collegeinsider-threatexplosion
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion