Inset: Shawn Gossett (Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Site of quadruple fatal fire (Hillsborough County Fire Rescue).
A Florida man is behind bars after firefighters found four people and three dogs dead in a home he set on fire, authorities say.
Hillsborough County Fire Rescue received a call shortly after midnight Wednesday from a homeowner saying there were smoke and flames inside the house with three people and five dogs trapped inside. Crews arrived at the manufactured home near Plant City about eight minutes later to find a working fire in a house about 100 yards from the main road, the agency said. Firefighters entered the home and removed three people through a bedroom window. However, all three were pronounced dead.
Firefighters extinguished the flames within about 20 minutes. They went inside to find a fourth victim and three dogs dead. Detectives with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office say 25-year-old Shawn Gossett, who lived in the home, intentionally set the fire.
Authorities are still trying to determine the motive behind the murders and the cause of death of the victims, who have not been publicly identified.
“This is an utterly senseless and horrific crime where four innocent lives were tragically taken due to the evil actions of this man,” Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “I want to commend our detectives and our partners at Hillsborough County Fire Rescue for their swift actions which resulted in the arrest of this individual and their relentless efforts to ensure justice is served.”
Gossett is facing charges of four counts of murder in the first degree while engaged in arson, three counts of aggravated animal abuse and one count of arson of a dwelling. He’s at the Hillsborough County Jail without bond.
Neighbor Shaun Martinez told Tampa NBC affiliate WFLA that he was close to the victims. He had just been over at the home earlier this week helping them fix a car.
“They were just fun to hang around with, they’ll make you laugh and everything, joke around and all that. The mother, she was nice too and everything,” he said.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
