ATLANTA — The Atlanta Police Department said they have arrested two brothers in the arson attack on an Atlanta police officer's home.
In June, someone threw the makeshift firebomb, including a rock and some liquid, through the window of a police officer's home on Betsy Avenue in southeast Atlanta.
The fire caused damage to the kitchen. The officer had just bought the new home but had not yet moved in.
Police said in a news conference Thursday that Wesley (above) and Quinton Wise paid another man to firebomb the officer's house.
Police said the brothers were drug dealers who didn't want the officer living in their neighborhood and were trying to scare her away.
The brothers were arrested this week. Police have not yet arrested the man they paid to attack the officer's home. Channel 2's Tom Regan was at the news conference when police announced the arrests Thursday.
APD Cmdr. Michael O'Conner said the Wise brothers had a lucrative crack cocaine business and thought the person who lived in the home would turn them in.
"They didn't want an officer living on the street where they had a trap house functioning," O'Conner said.
O'Conner said the drug dealers ruled the neighborhood by fear and intimidation.
"These two brothers ran the entire street. People were scared to tell on them," O'Conner said. "They had an extensive drug operation, and they were making a living doing this."
Break in the case of arson attackAuthorities say they've made a break in the case of an arson attack on an Atlanta police officer's home: 2wsb.tv/2Z9w07o. We're going over the new evidence, on Channel 2 Action News at 6 p.m.
Posted by WSB-TV on Thursday, August 15, 2019
O'Conner said the brothers hatched a plan to get someone to firebomb the officer's house to send her a message to leave.
Police said they hired the man who set the fire for a "$100 slab of cocaine and $50 cash."
Fortunately, the officer wasn't home when the man firebombed the home.
A $23,000 reward generated tips and later sparked a raid on a suspected drug house. Wesley Wise was arrested August 13. Police found narcotics and firearms in the home.
Wesley's brother, Quinton, was arrested Wednesday.
Police say they expect to arrest the man who was hired to set the fires soon.
"Anyone who messes with an Atlanta police officer, or any portion of our team, there will be a reckoning for that," O'Conner said.
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