Louisiana Man Arrested in Connection with Intentional Fire Set at Walmart on Christmas Eve 

Hammond, Louisiana – The Louisiana State Fire Marshal’s Office (LASFM) reported on December 27, 2022, that following quick assistance from media partners and public tips, the LASFM, in collaboration with the Hammond Fire Department and Hammond Police Department, had arrested a Hammond man for the Christmas Eve fire inside a heavily-occupied Walmart store in Hammond, Louisiana.

Terrence Michael Coe, 43, was taken into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail on Tuesday, December 27, on one count of Aggravated Arson, Attempted 2nd Degree Murder, Armed Robbery, and Terrorism.
On Saturday, December 24, at about 6 p.m., the Hammond Fire Department responded to a call for a fire inside the Walmart store in the 2700 block of W. Thomas Street. The fire was restricted to the store’s paint aisle thanks to quick-thinking personnel and customers who used fire extinguishers to put out the flames. Despite the fact that the store was occupied by at least 500 customers and personnel at the time of the incident, no one was harmed and the store was successfully evacuated.

Investigators immediately concluded that the fire was deliberately lit and identified a suspect seen on surveillance video at the store. The suspect was identified as Coe shortly after the investigative team shared still photographs from the video with our media partners and the public via social media. On Tuesday, December 27, he was apprehended and arrested.
Coe revealed to investigators that he started the fire to divert himself from his attempts to take various products from the business.

The LASFM thanked the Hammond Fire and Police Departments for their cooperation in this investigation, as well as the media and public for their contributions to the case being closed so swiftly.

An arrest is an indication that probable cause exists to believe the subject was involved in the offense alleged. A person is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Follow this link to view the original release about the fire.