MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — A 36-year-old woman was taken into custody Friday afternoon after setting a small fire inside a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office station, authorities said.
Deputies said Towana Cassandra Findlay, 36, entered the lobby of MDSO’s Northside District Station, located at 799 NW 81st St., shortly before 2:30 p.m., poured liquid from a container onto the floor and ignited it.
They said she then exited the building and was immediately taken into custody by deputies without incident.
Deputies extinguished the flames, and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue crews responded as a precaution to ensure the fire did not reignite. No injuries were reported.
Authorities said MDSO’s Arson Investigation Unit is leading the investigation.
Investigators from Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, the Sheriff’s Office Homeland Security Bureau and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives also responded and are conducting parallel investigations.
Jail records obtained by Local 10 News on Saturday show Findlay is facing 11 counts of attempted second-degree murder of a law enforcement officer and one count of first-degree arson.
During a bond court hearing Saturday, Findlay said she was representing herself and entered a guilty plea. A judge ordered no bond on all 12 counts and held her in pretrial detention.
She remained at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center as of Saturday afternoon.
A motive as to why she attempted to set a fire remains unclear at this time.
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